Cross Game
by Xenos Dream
Summary: 5Ds GX cross. There are many powerful duelists in the world, like Judai, Johan, and the Marufuji brothers, whose interference is about to throw Godwin's plans out of whack. Signers aren't the only ones who can decide the fate of the world.
1. where the light shines

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Cross Game

01: where the light shines (_this is a heavenly sanctuary_)

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At first, Johan wasn't sure what had startled him out of his uneasy sleep and, lying half awake in bed, he wondered whether he should just ignore it. The frantic pitter-patter of a pair of familiar footsteps convinced him otherwise and he managed to roll out of bed as Rua and Ruka dashed into his room, the former immediately launching into a confused, jumbled explanation.

"Alright, alright," Johan said, chuckling a little, "calm down. Now, what happened?"

"Someone crashed into the yard!" Rua exclaimed.

"Maybe they're hurt?" Ruka chimed in, hiding a little behind her brother.

Johan blinked at them, sighed and nodded. "I see. Well, let's go look."

Pulling on his shoes and a coat, he led the twins, still in their adorable matching pajamas, into the elevator and to the ground floor of the Tops building they lived in. As they entered the lobby, Johan gestured the two children back. They scurried to hide behind a potted plant near the entrance, and Johan exited the building alone.

It didn't take him long to find the source of all the commotion. A bright red D-Wheel had indeed crashed through the gate around the building and into the inner courtyard. Its rider lay sprawled beside it, and Johan hurried over to check his pulse. He needn't have worried because even as Johan turned him over, the mysterious young man stirred and groaned lowly.

Pausing for a moment, Johan sighed again and hefted the unresponsive form across his back. He couldn't just leave the poor boy here after all…

As he walked back into the lobby, Rua and Ruka crowded around to him, obviously bubbling with curiosity. Johan waved them back, almost losing his hold on the stranger in the process. "This guy crashed on his D-Wheel," he explained. "I'm going to call a doctor."

"Is he hurt?" Ruka asked sensibly.

"No, just knocked out, I think. But better be sure…"

"I don't think you should," the girl insisted suddenly. "Let's just take him up to our rooms and let him sleep a bit."

Johan paused to look at her in surprise. Ruka had a keen intuition, even if she was young, but this was more than a little odd. But before Johan could question her, Rua broke in, adding his ten cents.

"Yeah! He's a D-Wheeler, right? That's so cool! …But he probably isn't supposed to be out right now, huh?"

Well, no, certain not with the curfew and not on a custom D-Wheel…

Seizing the chance, Ruka agreed with her brother. "That's right. We shouldn't get him in trouble. And his deck is well-cared for! Right, Johan-nii?"

Johan paused, mentally reaching out to the spirits of the cards in the stranger's holster. Hm, yeah, they were very well-cared for. In fact, they adored their duelist, which was really all the recommendation someone needed in Johan's book.

"Alright," he conceded. "But only for now. We're going to find out what's going on once he wakes up."

Taking the stranger up stairs, Johan left him with Ruka and Rua as he went to retrieve the red D-Wheel. The twins took the chance to relieve him of his jacket, boots and deck. As Ruka carefully laid a hand on the cards, Rua studied the young man more carefully.

"D'ya think he's older or younger than Johan?" he asked his sister, who looked up in surprise and carefully laid down the deck before answering.

"Younger. We've known Johan forever, remember? He's older than he looks… I think." As she looked at the stranger's face critically, Ruka started in surprise. "He's got a marker," she murmured.

"Eh, really? Wonder why…"

Before they could go any further, Johan returned, dusting his hands in a satisfied manner. "Well, that's that. His D-Wheel's here too. It seems fine." He eyed the twins for a moment and shook his head. "Now, it's off to bed, you two. There's still time before morning, so get some more sleep. He'll still be here, I think."

Rua seemed ready to protest, but Ruka smiled sweetly at Johan and dragged her brother away. Waving them goodnight, Johan settled beside the stranger and picked up his deck and jacket. The later yielded no new information, no id, and the former only hummed in faint concern. Reassuring the cards as best he could, Johan turned back to their owner.

"Marker, huh?" he murmured to himself. "Hm. There's something strange about him. Is that why Ruka…?"

Shaking his head, Johan settled in to wait until morning.

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When Yusei drifted into consciousness, he was surprised to hear someone greet him kindly.

"You're awake? That's good. I thought you weren't seriously hurt, but I wasn't really sure…"

Opening his eyes, Yusei stared at the speaker, a young man with vivid blue hair, silvery green eyes and a pleasant smile. The young man leaned forward to look Yusei straight in the eye.

"Do you know who you are?" he asked, perfectly seriously.

"Yes," Yusei replied automatically, blinking at the closeness.

The stranger nodded. "Do you remember what happened?"

Thinking back for a moment, Yusei remembered Satellite, the tunnel, Jack, the prison, being released and taking back his deck and D-Wheel. Then, the Riding Duel with the Security duelist, the wall of men with tasers and… crashing. Yeah, he remembered crashing.

Focusing back on the stranger, he nodded decisively. The other smiled and leaned back, seemingly satisfied with Yusei's well-being.

"You're in Tops. You crashed nearby and the residents of this flat and I took you in. I'm Johan Andersen," he explained cheerfully.

Yusei paused, then nodded again. "Fudo Yusei," he introduced himself in return.

Johan beamed and held out his hand. As they shook hands, he said, "Nice to meet you. You must be hungry. It's almost time for lunch and the twins are probably dying to meet you."

After Yusei reclaimed his clothes and his deck, the two made their way deeper into the flat, coming to a bright, airy room that led to a large patio. Waving for him to wait, Johan disappeared. Only a moment later, two young children burst into the room. One, a boy in blue, ran straight up to Yusei and peered at him curiously. The other, a girl in red, came more slowly and hid behind her brother.

Johan followed them a little more sedately. "Lua, Luca, this is Yusei. Yusei, these are the residents of this flat, Lua and Luca," he gestured first to the boy, then the girl. Yusei nodded in greeting.

Rua burst into questions at once. "Hi, Yusei! You're a duelist, right? A D-Wheeler? What kind of deck do you use? Will you duel with me?"

Thinking for a moment, Yusei simply said, "Yes."

"Really! That's great! Do you have a Duel Disk? Mine's kinda heavy, but I still wish I got to use it more often!"

Yusei nodded again. "Yes," he replied.

Seemingly undeterred, Rua continued, "I love dueling, but I don't really have anyone to duel with me… I mean, Ruka's always saying she doesn't want to, and I know all of Tenpei's cards since we made our decks together, and Johan-nii… uh…"

Rua suddenly trailed off, and Yusei realized that Johan had just returned with a plate of sandwiches, having disappeared during Rua's interrogation. The other young man chuckled at Rua's sudden silence, making Yusei wonder what Rua would have said otherwise. Tugging on his sleeve, Ruka smiled sweetly at him.

"You'll have lunch with us, right? Let's eat outside," she suggested, pulling him toward the patio.

As they settled around a plastic table, Rua quickly changed the subject, though maybe not for the better. "I'm glad you're eating with us, Yusei!" he exclaimed. "Johan's being really conservative today, with just sandwiches and all. Usually he tries to feed us all this weird stuff-"

Rua cut off and winced as Ruka kicked him under the table. Glancing at Johan, Yusei was a little surprised to see him simply laugh. "You need to be more international," he said, shrugging.

"Are you related?" Yusei asked bluntly, looking between the three. They looked enough alike to maybe be cousins, or even siblings, but Johan was definitely a foreigner.

All three laughed and shook their heads. "No, but Johan-nii's like family anyway!" Rua exclaimed cheerfully. "He's been with us since we were really, really little!"

"Lua and Luca's parents are letting me live here with them for a really small rent as long as I look after these two," Johan clarified.

'Is bringing an unconscious stranger into the house considered part of "taking care of"?' Yusei wondered. Sure, he wasn't a thief or a murderer of something, but they didn't really have any way of knowing that. Though, as Johan gave him another cheery grin and Ruka smile shyly, Yusei couldn't quite work up any negative feelings about that.

Gobbling down the last of his sandwich, Rua jumped off his chair and shifted restlessly. "Let's duel now!" he exclaimed. "I'll get my Duel Disk!"

As he dashed off, Ruka finished her lunch as well and got up, gathering up the plates. "I'll take care of this," she told Johan, sighing a little.

Johan stood as well, gesturing Yusei to follow him. "Your D-Wheel's inside," he explained. "I'll take you there. I'm looking forward to seeing you duel too. I want to see your deck in action."

Johan's cheery grin made Yusei frown a little. "Why?" he asked.

"Well, it's obvious you have a close bond. It's always incredible to see a duelist and their deck work together," Johan explained as if it was the most obvious thing. His certainty made Yusei stare for a moment. He could only shrug as Johan gestured to his D-Wheel.

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That night, as Yusei prepared to leave, he was surprised to find Johan waiting for him. The other young man only grinned at Yusei's mildly confused expression. Standing, he said softly, "Hey, let me walk you to the door."

Pushing his D-Wheel along as they started toward the elevator, Yusei glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "You're not angry," he noted.

"Hm? Why would I be?" Johan asked, honestly confused. "Thank you for adjusting the Duel Disks, by the way. Your cards are right; you really are a very kind person."

"My cards?" Yusei repeated in surprise.

"Mm-hm," Johan hummed. "It's obvious."

'To whom?' Yusei wondered, but once again he couldn't seem to make his disbelief known. There was something odd about Johan, without a doubt, but he was also genuinely kind, and that was rare, in Yusei's experience. 'It's good that there are people like them in Tops,' Yusei thought.

Outside the building, Johan stopped and held out the small pack he'd brought with him. Chuckling at Yusei's confusion, again, he said, "It's for you. A few things can go a long way when you're on your own. And…" he trailed off for a moment, seemingly not sure how to phrase it, "you know, you can always come back here. Lua and Luca will be happy to see you again."

Caught off guard, Yusei could only nod, taking the pack. He really meant that, he thought. Johan seemed to know that Yusei was involved in something, but he was offering him help anyway. "What about you?" he asked suddenly.

Johan blinked in surprise, then laughed. "Well, I'll be happy to see you too, but it's their home, so that's not as important…"

Though he privately disagreed, Yusei only nodded again, mounted his D-Wheel and drove away. He'd remember this meeting, he thought. Maybe, this was a new bond.

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A/N: Ahaha… this is just a crack AU merge between 5Ds and GX. Srsly. Too many of those have rotted my brain. GX can be considered to have never happened, though certain elements and lots of characters will appear. The setting is 5Ds, pretty much played straight until the GX characters appear.

(Sigh, I wanted yaoi and Spiritshipping and stuff, but that's just not panning out. Well, weird friendships abound instead.)

And, srsly, how did Rua and Ruka originally get Yusei to their flat? Drag him? Call the doorman?

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	2. what we swore

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Cross Game

02: what we swore (_bound absolutely by a self-made chain_)

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After leaving Tops, Yusei barely avoided Security, mostly with Saiga's invaluable help. That same help managed to reunite Yusei with old man Yanagi and Himuro as the two were released from prison, bearing news of the warden's sacking.

As the four of them took a short tour of the area they were staying in, Daimon, Yusei found himself somewhat surprised that even pristine utopian Neo Domino had its ugly underbelly, and not just in Satellite. But it made sense in a way. Even Satellite had areas that were better and areas that were worse. So after a moment, Yusei adjusted to the illegal street duels and the marked duelists.

What really surprised him was seeing Rua there. The boy had his (newly modified) Duel Disk with him and was dragging along a friend, but no sister or Johan.

"Hey, Yusei!" Rua called, waving, as he spotted the D-Wheeler. Dragging his friend over, Rua quickly introduced them. "Yusei! This is Tenpei. And this is Yusei, the guy who cusmatized my Duel Disk."

"You mean customized," Tenpei muttered before suddenly, locking his eyes on Yusei's face. On the marker, Yusei realized.

"Are these your friends, Yusei?" Rua asked excitedly, gesturing to old man Yanagi, Saiga and Himuro. "I'm Rua! Nice to meet you!"

"Rua, why are you here?" Yusei broke in. "Where are Ruka and Johan?"

"Er…" Rua trailed off nervously, rubbing the back of his head and looking away. "Home? I kinda… um…" Noticing that Yusei's attention had suddenly focused behind him, Rua fell silent and turned to glance over his shoulder. A familiar flash of blue made him squeak and drag his friend to hide behind Himuro's tall form. Just in time too, as Johan caught sight of Yusei and made his way toward the group.

"Yusei! I didn't expect to meet you again so soon," Johan greeted cheerfully before his expression turned serious. "Have you seen Rua around here? He snuck out and all Ruka would tell me was that he's been talking about the Black Rose Witch. She's very dangerous!"

'You sound very certain,' Yusei thought, but he didn't say anything, instead trying to decide what to do about Rua. He didn't like the idea of two kids wandering around alone, but he didn't really want to rat out Rua either.

Fortunately, he didn't have to make a decision as a sudden commotion drew Johan's attention away. Someone screamed and the crowd that had gathered around the unsanctioned battle suddenly scattered. Peeking around Himuro's legs, Rua exclaimed, "It's the Black Rose Witch!"

Instead of reprimanding him, Johan started and yelled, "Get down!" Dashing to the boys he pulled both of them down just as an explosion sent Himuro and Yanagi stumbling to the ground. Cracks spread outward from the "duel field" and a dark shape rose among the dust and smoke. Yusei's arm throbbed as he stared at the dark cloaked figure in the center of the chaos.

Johan and Rua both gaped slightly as he pulled down his glove and sleeve, baring the angry crimson mark. "That's definitely the Signer's mark, sonny!" old man Yanagi exclaimed, also staring in fascination.

At the same time, the witch gasped softly. "You as well?" she murmured. "That cursed mark!" Slapping a card onto her duel disk, she disappeared in a tornado of dust and debris.

As the sound and fury faded away, Yusei straightened and called back, "Is everyone all right?" Saiga, Himuro and Yanagi answered with a mix of groans and curses, but Yusei felt a surge of cold dread as moments passed without Johan and the boys answering.

"We're fine," Johan finally said, letting go of Rua and Tenpei, putting a hand to his head. Yusei studied the three of them for a moment. Rua seemed strangely subdued and thoughtful, and his friend was just shaken and scared, staying close to Johan, who gingerly got to his feet.

"You sure?" Yusei asked quietly, trying to catch the other man's eye. Noticing his concern, Johan self-consciously removed his hand and smiled.

"Just a little shaken, that's all."

Although Yusei didn't think that was entirely true, he drew back a little. He didn't want to pry and invite questions about Signers and marks.

Johan's focus suddenly shifted away from Yusei, turning instead to one side and settling on a solitary figure standing alone and staring at the place the Black Rose Witch had been. As if sensing their attention, the young man spoke. "All of this just to break up a duel? That's definitely her," he smirked faintly, crossing his arms. Even though he looked ordinary enough, dressed in a non-descriptive brown jacket and jeans, there was something about him that screamed "duelist" and "confidence", and something else too.

"You know the Black Rose Witch?!" Rua burst out in amazement.

Turning to look at them, the stranger gave a slightly crooked smile and raised an eyebrow. "She's still calling herself that? So that hasn't changed," he said. His brown eyes crossed their party, settling on Yusei. The two locked gazes for a moment before the stranger looked down to Yusei's arm, the one with the Dragon's mark.

Yusei glared, but the stranger just grinned. "You should be careful," he advised, turning to go. "A lot of people are interested in those things."

"Wait," Yusei called, still glaring. "What is your connection to this?"

His back to them, the stranger shrugged. "Not any, really. I just wanted to know what she's been up to, but it turns out to be all complicated like this…" Heaving a sigh, he crossed his arms behind his head and began to walk away.

After one last glare to send him on his way, Yusei turned back to his group. They looked non-pulsed by the encounter, and Rua a little miffed. Johan was staring after the stranger, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.

"Let's go," Yusei said firmly. He wasn't at all sure he liked this new "player".

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A/N: No reviews? You guys are fail. For that, you only get a short scene instead of a real chapted. Ha. Ha. Ha. (cries in a corner)

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	3. the future that is only ours

A/N: Ah, rewatching ep.22, I realized a screwed up a bit, so I changed a line last chapter, from "So that's what she's calling herself?" to "She's still calling herself that? So that hasn't changed." Watching it, I realized it seems like Aki created the Black Rose Witch persona herself, then she met Divine and joined Arcadia Movement, but continued being the Black Rose Witch on the side.

Mind you, that episode is singularly unhelpful in other ways. Kinomiya makes it sound like Aki's 16 (going on about her sixteen years of life), but then he also says that she first hurt someone at Duel Academia three years before… which would mean she went there at 13 (like Rei?). Also, she so doesn't look 13 in those flashbacks. (And what is with those uniforms?)

Anyway, this is another short scene. I actually planned another one originally, but I got stumped trying to write a duel… Help?

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Cross Game

03: the future that is only ours (_none of them matter, not tomorrow_)

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By the time she made her way back to her apartment, Aki had calmed down enough to breathe deeply and evenly. Her heart was no longer pounding a staccato beat and she could almost think clearly.

That man had definitely had a mark, just like hers. Shining and burning, the two had resonated.

There were others like her, the thought reverberated through her mind. Aki had sometimes thought so, but she had never been certain. There were others bearing the cursed mark.

Slipping into the apartment provided by the Arcadia Movement, Aki pulled off her witch's cloak and Duel Disk. Dropping both on the plain couch, she stumbled out onto the balcony and gripped the railing tightly.

'Calm down,' she thought to herself. 'Remember what Divine taught you. You are in control of your power. With this power, we will bring about a utopia for psychic duelists. You are strong…'

Aki sensed him a moment before he appeared, as one psychic to another.

As she looked up and to her left, a young man dropped down from the balcony above, swinging smoothly in to land next to her. Straightening up, he raised one hand in greeting and said with a smile, "Yo! Aki! It's been a while."

"Yuki.. Judai…" Aki muttered slowly, staring at him in surprise. He looked almost the same as the last time she had seen him, his brown hair still in the same style if a little longer and messier, but no longer wearing the vivid red he had favored years ago. Catching herself, she frowned and stepped back. "You!"

Judai blinked in surprise, his hand lowering a little. "What's wrong?" he asked cluelessly.

"You desert us, and now you ask what's wrong?" Aki demanded, her already unbalanced emotional state taking a definite downturn. After the encounter earlier, she didn't need this at all. "Traitor!"

Frowning in honest at her accusations, Judai drew back a little and crossed his arms. "I'm not a traitor. Just because I decided to leave the Arcadia Movement… Are you mad at me for not staying longer?" When Aki only glared in reply, he sighed a little. "I had my reasons, you know. I didn't think you'd be this angry about it…"

'Well, that's the problem with you, isn't it? You don't think, not about other people,' Aki thought angrily. But that was also the most frustrating thing about dealing with Judai. He had honestly not realized that other people would be affected when he just upped and left one day with barely a warning or a goodbye. He didn't understand things like responsibility and duty. Completely unreliable.

But they had already gone over that argument before. When he had left, in fact, very violently so. Aki grimaced a little, remembering the scene vividly. Divine and several other members had rushed in, pulling them apart and ending their duel, if something that feral could be called dueling, Aki clutching her head, on her knees, Judai barely standing, covered with wounds and holding one arm.

Aki had yelled out all her feelings back then. Rehashing that now would be pointless, and she had grown up since then. Closing her eyes, she centered herself, as Divine had taught her.

"Why are you here?" she asked flatly, looking at him again.

Judai seemed almost hurt by her coldness, but he hid it quickly. "I wanted to see how you were. It took me a while to track you down, actually, but then I heard the rumors about the Black Rose Witch here in Neo Domino."

Narrowing her eyes, Aki gave him a hard look. Even for someone as impulsive as Judai, that was hard to believe. No, there was more to it.

"… I found out a little about that mark," he finally admitted, instantly catching Aki's attention and sending a surge of confused emotion through her. "It's the mark of Signer, a person possessing one of the five keys to summoning a great power."

"One of five… Signer…" Aki repeated, holding her arm and remembering the young man from the Daimon Area. Juudai studied her silently for a moment.

"It seems like a lot of people are interested in this power," he finally said. "I was worried that someone might try to use you…"

A new voice interrupted him as a tall man in plain trench coat stepped out onto the balcony. "You needn't be worried about that," Divine said calmly, walking up to Aki and laying a hand on her shoulder. "I will not allow any harm to come to her."

"Divine," Aki murmured, her expression softening as she looked up at him.

The man's appearance had the opposite effect on Judai, whose expression grew closed off. "I guess I just wanted to see for myself," he said, shrugging. Shooting a quick look to Aki, he added, "Be careful."

Without any further warning, Judai vaulted over the edge of the balcony and disappeared into the gathering darkness. Aki started a little, but let him go, certain that he was fine. Instead she looked toward Divine, who smiled reassuringly at her.

"It's a surprise, seeing him again, isn't it?" he said calmly. Aki didn't reply, but he didn't expect her to. "You handled yourself well."

Basking in his praise, Aki finally ventured to ask, "Why did you let him go back then? Judai… he's powerful."

"We would hardly force someone unwilling to our cause," Divine replied easily, apparently not at all insulted. "Yuki has his own way of doing things, after all. As long as he does not stand in our way, there is no reason to concern ourselves with his actions."

Aki nodded slowly, letting silence fall between them. She accepted the answer, not even shifting at the implication of what would happen should Yuki get in their way. 'And he just might,' Divine thought, his eyes narrowing a little. 'If he's been nosing around the Signer issue, then he could become a problem… Perhaps we will need to keep a closer eye on him.'

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A/N: And that's that for today. Sigh. Is anyone even reading this? Even just writing for myself, I really wish people would say something…

So yeah, Judai used to be part of the Arcadia Movement, but he left. Aki, who's pretty into the Movement, was really pissed and tried to duel him into staying. Both of them ended up getting pretty hurt and Judai left anyway. But now, he's poking around the Signer business… Yup.

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	4. start to build

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Cross Game

04: start to build (_it's just a foundation_)

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Shivering a little as the wind ruffled his hair, Johan sighed and wished he had thought to take a jacket with him. It had been so long since he'd been out late against the curfew, he'd forgotten how cold it could get. The stars were oddly bright, he thought looking up.

Although beautiful, they only made his headache worse, and Johan looked away, closing his eyes and massaging one temple. A dull roaring seemed to reverberate through his skull.

"Johan," a soft voice called, startling him out of his thoughts, "I've brought him."

Smiling, Johan turned to face the speaker. "Thank you, Sapphire Pegasus," he said, addressing the pale apparition of a winged horse that regarded him solemnly. "And thank you for coming," he added to the young man that stood next to the pegasus. The stranger looked the same as he had on their previous meeting, in the Daimon Area – still in his plain travel-worn clothes, still easily confident, and still with a spirit hovering over his shoulder. His expression was studiously neutral as he crossed his arms and waited.

With a nod that might have been encouragement, Sapphire Pegasus vanished from sight, though Johan could feel him and the rest focus all their awareness on the scene. Drawing strength from their presence, Johan smiled and held out his hand. "I'm Johan Andersen," he greeted.

A flash of surprise passed across the stranger's face, making him look much younger. Then, regathering his composure, he firmly grasped Johan's hand.

"Yuki Judai," he said, looking Johan square in the eye.

Giving his hand a firm shake, Johan drew back a little and turned a questioning look to the spirit. This earned him another surprised look, but Johan only smiled more brightly, waiting for an answer. After the pair exchanged a quick glance, Judai finally said, "This is my partner, Yubel."

"Nice to meet you both," Johan replied easily, though some of his levity was definitely forced. However, he refused to turn this into a confrontation. He didn't like that sort of thing, and they weren't enemies at all, so he would do what he could to put Judai at ease.

Though, he seemed to just be making him uncomfortable.

"The reason I asked Sapphire Pegasus to get you," Johan said, getting straight to the point, "is that I wanted to ask you about those red marks… the Signers." The word that the old man with Yusei had used felt odd on his tongue as he tried to make it sound natural.

"Why do you want to know?" Judai asked, his expression serious.

Johan hesitated for a moment, wondering how much to tell the other. "I know someone who I think is a Signer. I saw a mark on their arm before, and I'm worried about them," he admitted, perfectly honest if evasive.

Judai was silent for a moment, Yubel shooting him a quick look. Watching them, Johan wondered if they could converse silently. "That guy?" Judai finally asked.

"Ah, no. Someone other than Yusei," Johan admitted.

The silence stretched between them as Judai seemed to debate himself. Finally, he looked away pointedly. Johan sighed, having expected something like this.

"I see," he said. "You don't want to tell me anything. That's understandable. But… this is very important to me. You understand, right? You're also worried, about her."

Judai blinked, surprised that Johan had brought up the Black Rose Witch, but honestly the connection was obvious, and Judai had all but admitted that his only interest in the Signers was because of her. He gave Johan another, considering look before shrugging and smiling.

"Yeah, you've got me there. But, I don't really know much of anything." Obviously, though, whatever he knew was enough to make him worry. And that was enough to make Johan worry too. "A person with that mark has one part of a key to calling out a great power. I don't really know much beyond that, only that a lot of people, and a lot of groups are really interested in that. It seems like the sort of power that can change the world."

"A power that can change the world, and the people that are necessary to attain it…" Johan murmured to himself, the implications of that alone enough to make him worry.

Although he didn't expect an answer, Johan was about to ask for more information, but a faint sound made him stop and listen instead.

Judai's partner also seemed to pick up on the same thing, as she said softly, "Judai, someone is coming."

"Must be a patrol," Johan commented, grabbing Judai by the arm and hauling him into a nearby alley. As they crouched behind a bin, a Security officer on a D-Wheel rolled past leisurely, looking around without much interest. As he disappeared again, Johan sighed. "Security patrols like to focus on an area, so they'll probably be coming through here again soon. We'd better leave now."

Checking the street for any danger, both young men stepped out and prepared to part ways. "Thank you, for the help," Johan said one last time, giving Judai another smile. "I hope your friend will be alright."

"Uh, yeah, yours too," Judai agreed, rubbing the back of his head in bemusement. "Anyway, thank you. I'm glad to meet another guy who can see spirits like me."

"Maybe we can duel sometimes," Johan offered before starting home.

As he walked, Sapphire Pegasus appeared next to him. "Duel him? Is that alright, Johan?"

The duelist hummed an agreement. "A guy like him, who can see spirits, will understand. I'm sure of it."

Silently thinking over the words for a moment, and probably conferring with the others, Sapphire Pegasus nodded. "That's good. It will be exciting to duel again."

The spirit faded away again, leaving Johan to his thoughts. "I hope it's only for a friendly duel we see each other again," he murmured to himself. "I really, really hope so."

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A/N: Yet another non-chapter. Yay. But, I got two lovely reviews. I love you, Rashan-Rei and Dragon Star Queen. The rest of you are still kinda fail though.

Next chapter will be longer (because it'll be two similar scenes) and a transition into the plot-like substance. Also, is there anyone who's good with Edo and Saiou? I want to do something with them, and Sho and Ryo, but…

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	5. dawn's light

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Cross Game

05: dawn's light (_we see a whole new scene_)

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Inside a certain Tops apartment, the scene appeared perfectly ordinary and peaceful – three children sitting around a table, bent over their homework as a young man helped and corrected. However, things were not entirely as they appeared.

The atmosphere was decidedly tense and oppressive.

Glancing at the three residents of the apartment, Tenpei whimpered a little. Rua, Ruka and Johan generally got along well and were wonderful to be around, but when they had problems, they had Problems. Just being in the same room as the three of them was taking years off his life, he was certain.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Johan smiled at him, seemingly as friendly and patient as always. "How is the math homework?" he asked. Tenpei smiled weakly and decided not to point out that he had only brought history today.

He wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with the young man, though the other two children at the table would have usually been able to tell him that Johan was tired, anxious and worried. As it was though, they were a little too wrapped up in their own discontent.

Rua was glowering furiously at his papers and generally projecting an air of extreme displeasure. On Johan's other side, Ruka seemed lost in thought, though she occasionally shot Johan unhappy and vaguely hurt looks.

"Um…" Tenpei broke the silence, startling the other three. "I'm not feeling too good today, so I think I'm gonna head home now," he said, then quickly added, "I think the milk might have been going bad," when Johan seemed ready to enquire further.

Gathering his things at an incredible rate, Tenpei beat a hasty retreat. Johan and Ruka watched his departure with mild confusion, but Rua nodded to himself as his friend rushed out the door. Now, the three of them were going to get down to business, he decided.

"I want to look for Yusei," he declared suddenly.

Johan gave him a look of surprise, then skepticism. "How are you going to do that? You're not running around Daimon Area again." After the last stunt, Johan had refused to let Rua out of his sight for more than five minutes.

Rua scowled angrily. "I'm gonna find him," he insisted.

"Yusei probably has something he needs to be doing," Johan tried to reason. "Maybe you'll meet him again later, but you should just be patient for now."

"No! I wanna talk to him – about dueling, and about the Black Rose Witch, and about what happened!"

Johan frowned. "The Black Rose Witch is dangerous and you should stay away from here. You could be seriously hurt."

"I want to know about that mark that appeared on her arm, and on Yusei's too!" Rua insisted, hitting the real root of the tension that had appeared over the last few days. "You know something about it, why it's so familiar, but you won't tell us!"

Of course, Rua had told Ruka everything as soon as he and Johan returned from Daimon, and now his sister backed him up, looking at Johan with imploring eyes.

"I want to know too, Johan-nii," she said, giving him a look full of meanings, mostly of the "I'm hurt you don't trust us, you hypocrite" and the "I'm hurt you're keeping secrets" and the "I can't believe you'd be this mean" varieties.

"You went to talk to Yusei again that night, didn't you?" Rua demanded, making Johan grimace. He had thought the twins were asleep when he left, and when he returned.

Finally, he caved, waving his hands at them in a beseeching manner. "Alright, I'll tell you. Probably, it's better if you know," he admitted, sighing. "You said that mark on Yusei's arm looked familiar. You probably don't really remember, but that same mark appeared on Luca's arm when you two were little."

The twins shared a look around Johan, blinking in surprise. "It did?" Rua asked.

"I… think I remember…" Ruka muttered to herself.

"It was right after I met you two for the first time," Johan explained. "Do you remember that? You were only three, but Luca was already a great duelist. I read in the newspaper about the dueling prodigy of Neo Domino, and about how she said she could see the spirits of Duel Monsters."

The twins thought for a moment, trying to think back that far. The memories were fuzzy, but it seemed familiar, so they nodded. Between them, Johan looked pensive for a moment before continuing.

"Since I can also see spirits, I wanted to meet Luca, so I came here." Smiling, he patted Ruka on the head, remembering fondly. "You really liked the Gem Beasts, so we dueled. And then… that mark appeared."

Rua listened attentively, but his expression said he couldn't remember what Johan was talking about. However, his sister's eyes grew distant as stray bits of memory floated through her mind.

"I didn't know what it was, and neither did either of you, so we let it go. A little while later, I left again," Johan went on.

"You left?" Rua asked in surprise. "I thought you were always here…"

Johan shook his head. "No, at first, I was just passing through Neo Domino. I planned to visit again, but… Then, something happened. I don't really know…" He trailed off for a moment, frowning, and looked between the twins. Pulling herself out of her memories, Ruka met his gaze.

Johan regarded her for a moment, then went on. "I don't know what happened, but Lua called me." The twin in question echoed, "I did?", making Johan smile faintly. "I had left my number with you because I thought Luca might see something that she wouldn't understand, or…" Or she might get bullied for seeing things that no one else can see and want to talk to someone who understood, Johan thought, but instead he went back to the story.

"Well, it was Lua who called me. You said that Luca wouldn't wake up and that the spirits had taken her away. When I arrived, Luca had been in a coma for almost two weeks…" And her brother was not doing well either. He had refused to leave his sister's side, calling her name over and over again. Johan shivered a little, remembering his own sense of helplessness. All he could do was see spirits, and his voice hadn't been able to reach the little girl either.

Shaking his head, he went on. "The Gem Beasts went to look for you and helped you follow Lua's voice back. A red mark appeared on your arm then too, just before you woke up. Your parents were so happy to see you awake, and then Lua insisted that I had helped…" Even though he hadn't really. "Anyway, I was worried so I offered to stay with you two for a while, to make sure it wouldn't happen again… And then, I just never left," he concluded.

The three of them fell into silence for a few moments, all thinking over the past, what they had heard and what they remembered. Rua was the first one to speak up. "So, Ruka's got the same mark as Yusei and the Black Rose Witch?"

"Not exactly," Johan mused, thinking back. "It's in the same place, and they're definitely connected, but I think the shapes might be different. Yusei's definitely is. I remember, Luca's looked like a claw, I think. I haven't seen it since you two were three, you know."

"Yusei and I… are connected," Ruka murmured, putting a hand on her right arm. "I think… I might have felt it."

Johan nodded, thinking back on the feeling he had the first night, when they took Yusei into the apartment after he crashed. He'd felt it too, though he hadn't realized what that feeling was. Somehow, the Signers resonated with one another.

"You're still not allowed to go looking for him," Johan said blandly after a moment, making Rua pout.

-

-

Overall, Saiga considered himself to be a person who both valued and respected privacy. It was part of his job and reputation – getting anything done without asking questions.

But this wasn't business. This was Yusei. And Saiga was going to get an explanation (several, if possible).

With this goal in mind, he gathered the residents of their less than luxurious little hideout in the downstairs garage (the best place to corner Yusei). As the four of them – Himuro, old man Yanagi, Saiga and Yusei himself – settled down, Saiga started his "interrogation".

"You went through a lot of trouble getting into Satellite and then getting your D-Wheel and deck back. What are you planning to do now?" Saiga asked, deciding to start with the simplest issue.

Putting down the welder he had been using, Yusei sat back and thought for a moment. "I came here to get something back, and to settle things," he finally replied.

That sort of vague answer didn't really bode well, but Saiga wasn't about to settle for that sort of thing. "And settling things requires your D-Wheel. You're going to duel someone," he filled in. Yusei only nodded.

"You're going to duel the King again, sonny?" old man Yanagi asked. Completely ignoring Saiga and Himuro's surprised expressions, he went on, "Do you think the Crimson Dragon will appear again?"

"You dueled the King?" Himuro demanded. He himself had lost to Jack Atlas, and Saiga knew that he held a desire for a rematch.

Yusei regarded them silently for a moment. With what would have been a sigh in another person, he nodded. "After I came here from Satellite, I tried to settle things with Jack, but our duel was interrupted," he explained slowly, and almost as vaguely as before.

Old man Yanagi (bless his loose jaw, Saiga thought) energetically continued as Yusei fell silent. "That's right! I saw it! The Crimson Dragon appeared at the stadium, and all the power went out too!"

"The blackout?" Saiga repeated. "The one a few weeks ago?" That had been a big fuss, since the Public Security Maintenance Bureau's precious Momentum reactor had apparently failed somehow. But, if just dueling the King somehow caused that, Saiga could see why there would be suits following Yusei around. Still, how had that happened? That sort of power… "Is this connected to that mark that appeared on your arm when we saw the Black Rose Witch?" Saiga asked, remembering their "excursion" a few days ago into the Daimon Area.

"That's right! It's the mark of a Signer!" Yanagi boasted. "Each Signer bears a part of the Crimson Dragon and when they come together, it's said that they can call upon its power!"

"Then Yusei, the Black Rose Witch and the King are all these Signers," Saiga summarized. As he turned this information over in his mind, Himuro spoke up.

"So what does that mean?" he asked, quite simply.

No one could give an answer to that, even old man Yanagi looking uncertain, but Yusei's expression made Saiga think that there was something more to it. Still, they weren't going to get any further with that now.

"Setting that aside," Saiga broke the silence, "what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to settle things with Jack," Yusei answered simply.

His clear determination was admirable, in a way, but Saiga sighed. "How do you plan to do that? The King isn't really accessible to the public, you know. And you can't just challenge him, not without rising up in the qualifications first. I'm not sure they would let you enter anyway, with that marker."

When Yusei didn't answer, Saiga sighed again. He felt like he was ruining the hopes and dreams of little children and kicking little puppies as they tried to toddle. "How did you end up dueling the King the first time?" he asked instead.

"Jack came to meet me," Yusei replied, almost as if that was the natural order of things.

'Just what is their relationship?' Saiga wondered, but that was entirely too personal.

"Well, then our best bet will be to wait for now. He may come again, but don't hold your breath," Saiga warned. "A huge public figure like him can't just move around freely. In the meantime, you should try to keep a low profile, especially since Security has it out for you."

Saiga looked toward Yusei, expecting him to nod, agree and end the conversation. But Yusei said instead, "I'm going to Daimon Area tomorrow." Saiga raised an eyebrow in question. "I want to practice," Yusei explained, then, under Saiga's persistent stare, added, "and I want to try to find the Black Rose Witch."

"Don't get caught by Security," Saiga suggested, not even seeing a point in arguing anymore.

'At least,' he thought, 'it's definitely not going to be dull with him around.'

-

-

A/N: Happy Thanksgiving, mai ferou Americans!

Ah, these two scenes are together because they're very similar. Basically, two cast herds get together and share info. It's very boring, I realize now that I've written it, especially the second one, since we're hearing this info for the, eh (Let's see, Judai to Aki, Judai to Johan, Johan to Ruka/Rua…), fourth time, in this story alone. Well, at least you won't forget.

Now, the really important point of this chapter is that there is no Fortune Cup in sight. The reasons for this will be explored a bit in the next segment, which will feature Jack, Godwin, the Marufuji brothers, and Edo Phoenix. O tanoshimi ni!

And on that subject, vote for what pairing you want to see. And by pairing, I mean extensive character interaction. For example, my first wonderful reviewer (Rashan-Rei) said he wanted Junkshipping (Yusei/Aki). Well, with me and my inability to do romance, that just means I'll make them meet earlier than planned and given them time to get to know each other. But maybe they'll actually start to go all mushy before the end.

Also, small note. Johan refers to Rua and Ruka as "Lua" and "Luca" as a sort of in-joke about him being a foreigner and getting his r/l screwed up. He also apparently cooks foreign foods, and calls everyone by their first names just like that.

And seriously, reviews make me write faster. I swear.


	6. pierce far and bright

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Cross Game

06: pierce far and bright (_absolute, indifferent light_)

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As King, Jack considered many, many things to be beneath him. As Jack, Jack considered many more things to be completely irrelevant. In fact, back in Satellite, he had cultivated an air of detachment from his material conditions, refusing to scurry around in an eternal search for food, shelter and other things like that. That, he insisted to himself and everyone else, did not matter. What mattered was dueling. Being the best. Being King.

When Jack came to Neo Domino and claimed his title, Godwin allowed and even encouraged this worldview. Of course there was no need for the King to concern himself with anything except his duels.

Except when the King needed to be concerned with business deals.

Like now.

Growling under his breath, Jack strode angrily toward his next appointment, Mikage scurrying after him. "Atlas-sama!" she panted, struggling to keep up with his much longer strides. "About this meeting…!"

Jack wanted to bark out that he didn't _care_ who he was meeting. It wasn't Yusei. It was a waste of time that he could have been using to settle things with his once upon a time friend/teammate/partner. And Jack's only purpose at these meetings was to stand around and look impressive. Godwin made all the arrangements and all the decisions. Jack only dueled.

There had been an awful lot of these kinds of meetings lately. Far more than usual, to the point that Jack barely had ten minutes between engagements, whether they were duels, autograph sessions, press conferences, business meetings or preparations for the upcoming movie premier.

Jack's eyes narrowed as that unpleasant thought stole through his mind again. Was Godwin doing it on purpose? Probably. Even, definitely. Single-minded Jack may have been, but he wasn't stupid.

Having Jack and Yusei duel again, especially if it was a spectacle like last time, did not fit Godwin's plans. And as the piece that Godwin had the closest grip on, Jack was being carefully controlled.

'Just wait, Yusei,' Jack thought. 'We'll finish our duel. I'll prove to you that I am King. Whether duelist or Signer, I will rise above all others.'

But for every day that went by without a conclusion, Jack's doubts quietly, stealthily multiplied. That set up repeated in his mind's eye. Red Demon's and Stardust; End of Storm and… Meteor Stream.

'I… would have lost.' The thought did not settle any better than it had when he first saw the recording. He needed to duel Yusei again. He needed to prove that he was King.

But that was not Godwin's plan, so Jack had no option or chance to duel Yusei.

Striding into the conference room without pausing, Jack absently looked over the people already assembled. If Godwin was annoyed with his tardiness and abrupt entrance, he didn't show it, only smiling faintly as always and launching into introductions.

"Ah, here he is. This is our King of Riding Duels, Jack Atlas." Tilting his chin up a little, Jack stared imperiously at the three guests, every inch the champion and ruler of all he saw.

Apparently not expecting Jack to add anything, Godwin continued. "And these are our gracious guests. First, the founders of the newest Pro-Circuit, Marufuji Ryo and Sho." He grandly swept his arm toward the two young men he had been speaking to when Jack entered, both dressed in simple but elegant dark clothing. The older, Ryo, was seated in a wheelchair, and his face sparked a faint flash of recognition in Jack's mind. He remained almost expressionless, while the younger, Sho, gave Jack a somewhat hesitant smile.

This time Godwin probably intended not to give Jack a chance to respond, since anything Jack said tended to be more toward the rude side of the scale and with a great deal of bluntness. Instead of risking a potential disaster, Godwin went on quickly, gesturing toward the last person in the room, a silver-haired young man in a neat suit and tie combo. "Accompanying them, the Pro-League's Edo Phoenix," he said simply, not bothering to explain just why Phoenix was with the two brothers.

Not that Jack cared.

Moving further into the room and situating himself at an appropriately visible position, Jack crossed his arms and let himself start to drift off into his thoughts again as the Marufuji brothers resumed their discussion with Godwin.

This must be a preliminary meeting, Jack thought without interest. It was private, without even a secretary, so they must not plan on reaching any concrete agreements yet. But nonetheless, Godwin wanted to impress, so he had dragged Jack out. Of course, the brothers seemed to have the same idea, he noted, shooting Phoenix a glance.

For a moment, their eyes locked, and the pro-duelist gave Jack a faint smirk, earning himself a hard glare.

Ever attentive and circumspect, Mikage tried to distract Jack by silently bringing up a Solid Vision display in front of him. Glancing over it, Jack saw that it was a copy of the older Marrufuji brother's record. Probably, this was what she had been trying to show him _before _they arrived.

'Kaiser,' Jack read. 'That's why he seemed familiar. He was a pretty famous duelist… That's right. He had that accident.'

Jack didn't know the details and the profile Mikage had provided didn't elaborate, but it had caused a bit of stir back then. Accidents, even fatal accidents, weren't unheard of, or even that uncommon, in Riding Duels, but Kaiser had been well-known, with his modified Cyber Style Deck and regal bearing. To have his career cut so abruptly was quite a shock.

Noting Jack's attention drifting again, Mikage switched to the next profile, this one of the professional Edo Phoenix. Jack glanced over it quickly and looked away again in disinterest. It was a surprisingly long record, since Phoenix was apparently a prodigy who had been dueling for years, and also surprisingly simple. A laundry list of victories over increasingly prominent opponents. There was only one loss at the very top to break Phoenix's perfect record.

Normally, a record like that would draw Jack's attention like a homing beacon, raising his competitive spirit. But now, all that mattered was that Phoenix wasn't Yusei. Until he could settle things with Yusei, Jack couldn't afford to be distracted by anyone else. He couldn't challenge anyone else either, not with this outstanding challenge to himself.

Not that Jack could have just come up to Phoenix and challenged him even if he wanted to. A duel with a high-profile professional like Phoenix had to be negotiated out with Godwin first, a rule in place to stop outsiders from just coming in and challenging a regional champion like Jack. In fact, all of Jack's duels were determined and controlled by Godwin…

Which was why he was still unable to duel Yusei.

Just thinking about that again made Jack furious. He wanted to demand that Godwin find Yusei and bring him to the stadium, immediately, without delay, so that they could settle things once and for all.

But Jack had enough common sense to know that bursting out like that in the middle of business meeting, one that Godwin was taking this seriously, just wasn't a good idea. There were limits to what even the King could get away with. There were certain restrictions that came with being King…

Too many damn restrictions.

Scowling silently, Jack slowly moved away from Godwin and the Marufuji brothers, toward the door. None of the three seemed to so much as notice his movements and Jack silently stepped out of the room as Mikage shot him frantic looks, caught between the knowledge that he expected to stay and the need to cause the least amount of spectacle.

Even having bought himself some time like this, he couldn't go too far, not without Jaeger or someone else from the Public Safety Maintenance Bureau accosting him and insisting on providing escort. Knowing better than to try to leave the building against schedule, Jack made his way to one of the large galleries that provided panoramic views of the city, to impress visiting business men and dignitaries.

Staring out across Neo Domino, Jack wondered where Yusei was now. Did he plan to come challenge Jack himself? Part of the King hoped so, hungered for the opportunity to duel again, but the more reasonable, down-to-earth part (which even Jack possessed deep down) hoped that Yusei had more sense than that.

Lost in his thoughts, Jack didn't notice the arrival of another person until they spoke up.

"That was pretty rude of you," Edo Phoenix remarked, smirking faintly. "Just walking out like that."

Shooting him a glare, Jack turned away again, intent on ignoring the pro. But the cold treatment did little to deter Edo as he walked up to stand next to Jack, also looking across the city.

"You might be top here, but it's a wide world out there," he remarked quietly, the falsely jovial quality gone from his voice. "There are duelists in the world who would eat you alive if you ever left your little castle… but I supposed Godwin would never let that happen."

Jack snarled, turning sharply to glare at Edo. "You! Just who do you think you are? I am King! Do not insult me so lightly!"

Unphased by Jack's anger, Edo gave a crooked smile-smirk. "You're the sort of guy who just grates on me," he commented. Eyeing Jack for a moment, he said slowly, "You know, my manager doesn't normally allow me to duel unarranged. He didn't even let me take my D-Wheel or my Duel Disk with me. But…" Edo's eyes narrowed, his expression challenging, "I do have my deck."

Jack's pride would not let him do anything but accept.

-

-

A/N: You guys are so awesome, giving me three reviews for Chapter 5 (unlike poor Chapter 3 which got none) that I decided to post this early. Like, the next day.

I'm not really sure what a Pro-Circuit is, or how it's different from a Pro-League. Wikipedia couldn't help me T_T... To the best of my understanding, a Pro-Circuit is a set of arenas/tournaments among which the same duelists circulate. So basically, if you signed up to a circuit, you would duel people who were part of the same circuit and travel between the arenas included in that circuit.

Neo Domino seems to be sort of by itself. They hold title matches, for the position of King, and I'm going to assume that beneath the King, there is an entire hierarchy of duelists, who work their way up to challenge the King.

I supposed Sho and Ryo want to make a sort of alliance with the Neo Domino Stadium to allow members of their Circuit participate, hold exhebition matches, and have people from Neo Domino do the same. Or something. Anyway, Jack does not care. Edo's place in all of this will be showed a little later.

For those of you who know Edo, I think you can guess where this is gonna lead. Jack is a great duelist, I think, but Edo is Edo, and has a history of screwing people over. I… actually feel very sorry for Jack. Anyway, since I totally fail at the Duel Monster card game, their duel will be off screen. (XD)

Next chapter is back to Johan and the twins. It's long, but kinda dull... sigh.

So, review… please. (Tanomu yo!)


	7. awaken in the wonder land

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Cross Game

07: awakening in the wonder land (_beyond, something stirs again_)

-

-

_"A… Duel Counselor?" Johan repeated awkwardly._

_On the screen, Rua and Ruka's mother beamed in reply. "That's right! I've already talked it over with my husband and we both think it's a wonderful idea. He has an outstanding reputation. I'm sure he'll be able to help Ruka-chan!"_

_Although he tried to keep his displeasure hidden, subtle signs of unhappiness passed over Johan's expression. "What will he do?" he asked instead._

_"He'll stop by tomorrow, and he'll use his duel with Ruka to draw out her subconscious concerns, worries and fears. Then, he'll be able to help her overcome them," the business woman explained enthusiastically. "So please, Johan, help him in any way you can, for Ruka's sake."_

_She honestly wanted the best for her children, Johan thought._

_"Of course," he agreed with an uneasy smile._

And that had been yesterday.

When the building intercom chimed, Johan momentarily considered just ignoring it. Then the moment passed and, like the responsible adult he was, the duelist answered.

"Mr. Andersen? There is a man here to see you and the twins," the lobby receptionist informed him politely.

"Let him up," Johan answered evenly, trying not to let her know how much he wanted her to do the opposite and call security to haul this "Duel Counselor" out of the building.

As he sighed and ended the call, Rua and Ruka peeked into the entry hall. "Is it him?" Rua demanded, a frown firmly set on his face. Johan smiled a little at the boy's overprotectiveness of his sister. The two of them were really just too cute.

"Yeah," he replied, sighing again. Of course, he had told the twins everything the day before, and both of them understood that there was no getting out of this. If they tried to deny the man's services, he would no doubt tell the twins' parents, who would then insist more firmly or even demand why Johan had sent the man away.

At least it was Ruka who was dealing with the counselor. She was smart enough to be able to get rid of him without arousing too much suspicion.

"He'll be up in a moment, so get your deck and Duel Disk, okay?" Johan suggested. "And Rua, try not to scowl so much. The more we cooperate, the faster it'll be over."

He had been overly optimistic, Johan thought later.

At the sound of a polite knocking, the duelist put on his best smile and opened the door. The man on the other side was less than intimidating. Though tall, he had a plain round face topped by a simple black beret, matching his surprisingly ornate robes. In fact, he looked a little like a priest.

Still, appearances aside, something about him instantly made Johan's hackles rise.

"Hello. I am Professor Frank. You must be Johan Andersen," the man said calmly.

Keeping his smile firmly in place, Johan nodded and stepped back to let the Professor enter into the apartment. It felt like dragging a dead cat into his bed.

"That's right! And these are Lua and Luca," Johan said, gesturing to the twins, who had returned and were now giving the Professor deeply unhappy looks.

"Wonderful to meet you," Professor Frank greeted blandly. "I see Ruka-san already has her Duel Disk. Wonderful. However," here he fixed Johan with a surprisingly strong stare, "I will have to ask you and Rua-kun to step out. Your presence might affect Ruka-san's mental state, so it would be best if you were not present during our duel."

"What?!" Rua demanded instantly, while Johan stared at the Professor in surprise. Before the boy could give the man a piece of his mind (and let everyone know what kind of language he had managed to pick up despite Johan's best efforts), Johan gathered himself and pulled him back.

"I see. When should we return?"

Professor Frank smiled, apparently pleasantly surprised by this cooperation. "Two hours, maybe three. We will certainly be done by then."

Johan nodded, still smiling though a little fixedly. "It'll be best if you duel outside, I think. Rua, why don't you show Professor Frank where the patio is, and then get your deck, okay? I'll help you restructure."

As Rua opened his mouth to protest, his sister stepped quickly on his foot and pushed him the direction of the main room, having caught on to Johan's intentions. Glaring at everyone involved, the boy led Professor Frank away. Left alone with Ruka, Johan knelt in front of the girl and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I don't like him," Ruka said abruptly. "He feels…"

Johan nodded in understanding. "There's something weird about him. Be careful, okay? Here, keep this with you."

"Your Gem Beasts?" Ruka asked, eyes widening as Johan handed her seven cards.

"They'll take care of you," Johan assured, smiling as Ruby Carbuncle appeared on Ruka's shoulder and nuzzled her cheek.

Hearing Rua's deliberate, stomping footsteps returning, Ruka quickly pocketed the cards and turned to face her brother and Professor Frank.

"See you in a bit," Johan said, pulling Rua along by the hand. Ruka waved to them as the door shut, leaving her alone with the Professor.

Out in the hall, Rua turned his glare on Johan and demanded, "Are we really leaving her alone with that creep?"

"Um, sort of? We can't stay here in the hall, so let's go down to the lobby. I really will help you restructure," Johan replied a little distractedly. It had been a while since he had last been out of contact with the Gem Beasts and he was testing their connection.

They answered easily, Amethyst Cat appearing next to him. "Go on. We'll look after her," she assured her duelist before disappearing again.

-

-

As she and the Professor faced each other on the sunlit patio, Ruka felt a shudder of uneasiness run through her. She… really hated being alone. Even if she acted all grown up and self-sufficient, Ruka had never really been alone. Her brother, Johan and the spirits had always supported her.

Ruka's eyes widened in surprise as she strapped on her Duel Disk. It was so much lighter and easier to use now. 'Yusei…' she thought. Really, she wanted to meet him again just as much as Rua.

"Saa, shall we get started?" Professor Frank suggested calmly. "What do you say to finding the real 'you' hidden in the inner depth of your consciousness?"

Swallowing a grimace, Ruka smiled uneasily. Her deck and the spirits inside hummed in agitation. They didn't like this man any more than Ruka and Johan did. Only Johan's Gem Beasts remained calm, reassuring her from inside the folds of her jacket.

Nodding more confidently now, Ruka held out her Duel Disk. As the disks activated, both the duelists declared clearly, "Duel!"

'I should end this as quickly as possible,' Ruka thought. "My turn. Draw! I summon Sunny Pixie in defense mode!" As she placed the card down on the Duel Disk, the tiny spirit appeared, its colors changing to blue, and settled near Ruka's shoulder. "I end my turn," she concluded.

Professor Frank nodded. "Then, it is my turn. Draw. I summon Symmetry Rorschach (ATK 1200)," he stated, holding up the card. An indistinctive monster appeared in front of the Professor, making Ruka frown and peer at it in confusion. "This monster will help to acquire clues about what troubles your heart and mind. Saa, Ruka-chan, what do you see in this monster?"

'What is with this man?' Ruka wondered. 'I'm not troubled. As long as…'

"Saa, saa, answer. What is it?"

Ruka hesitated, and the monster's blurry form seemed to shift before her eyes, taking on the appearance of her own monster, Sunny Pixie. The imposter Fairy smiled… and its head split open, a wicked purple face appearing instead.

"Spiral Mind!" Professor Frank ordered. Roaring, the monster attacked and easily overcame Ruka's defense monster. "I see. This test has revealed that, in the recesses of your consciousness, you are afraid. You are afraid of spirits and fairies, am I correct?"

'Nope, totally wrong,' a part of Ruka's mind that sounded suspiciously like Rua declared flatly. Ruka herself didn't answer, drawing away from the Professor and eyeing him with renewed distrust.

"What a creep," came Amethyst Cat's disembodied voice.

"And a monster to match," Topaz Tiger added snarkily. "Shape-stealers are the worst."

'That's right. I'm not alone,' Ruka reassured herself.

"All is fine. I shall clear any worries you have and set them free," Professor Frank went on.

('The only worry we've got is you!' Ruka imagined Rua complaining.)

"And to do that, you shall courageously venture to the whole other world within the depth of your consciousness, the world of Duel Monster Spirits." As the Professor spoke, Ruka's eyes widened, her momentary calm swept away. "Why, I know. You are able to perceive the language of spirits." Smiling again, he said calmly, "Symmetry Rorschach's monster effect activates. When it destroys a monster, it can flip the top card of my opponent's deck face-up. So, Peeping Mind!"

Automatically, Ruka reached out to check the top card of her deck and showed it to her opponent. The Kuribbon had been a present from Johan, and its cheery voice made Ruka smile.

"Such a cute Spirit card it is. Would you happen to hear its voice as well?" Professor Frank enquired, his politeness feeling increasingly false. "Well, I place two cards face down and end my turn."

"It's your turn now, Ruka-chan," Sapphire Pegasus reminded her in his best calm, rational adult voice, the one she suspected Johan had learned from him. "Draw Kuribbon…"

"And show him what a real duel is like!" Amethyst Cat broke in.

Nodding to them, Ruka declared, "I draw, and summon Kurribon!"

Professor Frank smiled a little wider. "Now I open my face down card, Guiding Light to the Inner Depths. The opposing player sends the top five cards from their deck to the Graveyard and adds the sixth card to their hand after both players check it. If they do not play the card during this turn, opposing player will receive 2000 points of damage," he explained.

The card seemed to flash hypnotically, making the world around Ruka tilt strangely. As he spoke, the Professor's even voice echoed oddly.

"Saa, turn over the cards from the top of your deck, if you please," he instructed, and without any thought on her part, Ruka found herself following through. "Do it slowly." Distant voices seemed to be calling to her but they grew more and more faint. "One. Two. Three. Four. Five." She couldn't hear them anymore. The Guiding Light shone brightly. "Saa, saa, saa, what is your sixth card?"

As Ruka held up the card then slid it into her Duel Disk, Professor Frank nodded sagely. "Ah, that's the Field Magic, Ancient Forest. All monsters switch to attack mode. One can neither summon anything in defense mode, nor switch anything to defense mode. And, monsters that attack are destroyed at the end of the Battle Phase."

He chuckled as the Forest's Solid Vision appeared around them. "A world which puts all out in the open… and simply does not tolerate conflict. Now, to that place…"

Gasping, Ruka opened her eyes and looked around in confusion. She was in a forest, definitely, but it was no Solid Vision. The slanted sunlight was warm on her face, and she could hear the wind rustling through the leaves. All around her, fairies fluttered, giggling faintly.

"This is… the world of Duel Monster Spirits?" Ruka wondered aloud. "Is this the world I said I visited?" As she blinked in surprise, Kuribbon bounced up to her, real and solid. "You're here… is everyone else here too? What about…? Everyone! Sapphire Pegasus! Amethyst Cat! Can you hear me?"

The trees wavered a little around her, making Ruka shiver a little. Even though the forest appeared calm and kind, there was something that scared her here.

"Ruka-chan!" Sapphire Pegasus's disembodied voice barely reached her, like someone speaking from far away. "You're still in the middle of your duel!"

"What's happening?" Ruka asked, glancing around desperately.

There was a pause before the Gem Beast answered. "He's activating a card, Gestalt Trap." As he spoke, a spiked metal band materialized around Kuribbon, making the monster whimper. Ruka's eyes widened. 'This must be the trap's effect!' she realized. "He's playing a magic card, Immortal Homeostasis," Sapphire Pegasus continued as a malignant light flared around Kurribon, "and releasing his monster to advance summon Id the Super Demonic Lord."

And Id appeared, a great glowing purple beast that glared at Ruka and the bound Kuribbon with feral red eyes. Darting forward, it struck Kuribbon, the monster disappearing in a shower of golden sparks. But as Ruka watched, Kuribbon reappeared again.

'It must be his trap and magic cards' effect,' she thought. 'Then, the Ancient Forest's effect should apply too! Id will be destroyed!'

The forest whispered angrily, and Id roared as it was destroyed. But like Kuribbon, it reappeared a moment later in a flash of light. Ruka backed away, terrified.

"Someone, help!" she called into the forest.

-

-

"…So if you use this card and this one, your monster will…" Johan trailed off, pausing in the middle of his explanation. "Lua? Lua, what's wrong?"

Across the bench from him, the boy had suddenly grown still, his eyes glazing over as he stared blindly in front of him. Putting down the cards they had been looking over, Johan waved a hand in front of Rua's face, then shook him by the shoulder, but neither action gathered any response.

The duelist stiffened as a wave of agitation, rage and worry washed over him, coming from his Gem Beasts. None of them spared the energy and concentration for words, but Johan clearly understood their message.

'Luca is in trouble. That man is not here for counseling at all,' Johan thought.

Thinking frantically, Johan scooped up Rua's unresponsive form and dashed up the stairs. The way to the top floor seemed infinitely long as the Gem Beasts tugged on his mind with waves of emotion.

When he reached the top landing, Johan was too agitated to bother with the handle and simply kicked the door open, bursting into the apartment. Barely breaking stride to set Rua down on the couch, he ran out onto the patio, where the Professor and Ruka were still standing as if in a duel. Like her twin's, Ruka's gaze was empty and distant.

On her arm, a red mark like a claw was shining.

"What should I do?" he wondered frantically, glancing between the two opponents. Professor Frank looked as empty as Ruka, standing locked in his dueling stance. 'Duel… They're linked through their duel. I have to stop them!'

Swallowing the deeply ingrained etiquette of a duelist, Johan stepped onto the field. He passed through the Solid Vision of Ruka's Ancient Forest and made his way to the girl. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he shook her gently, but that had no effect.

"Luca! Wake up!" But just like before, his voice couldn't reach her at all.

Reaching out, Johan felt along the edge of the girl's Duel Disk and flipped the emergency shut down switch. The lights on the Disk faded out, and the Ancient Forest card automatically slid out. Around them, the Solid Vision disappeared as Professor Frank's Duel Disk also disengaged, his arm dropping to his side.

But both the duelists remained tranced.

Dropping to his knees, Johan hugged the girl tightly and called her name again. In her pocket, the Gem Beast cards began to glow.

-

-

In the world of the Duel Monster Spirits, Ruka felt something shift a little. Id's form wavered, disappearing and being replaced by a smaller but far more malevolent figure. Opening his eyes and looking around, Professor Frank smiled. But the expression was no longer even falsely kind. It was filled with madness and cruelty.

"So this is the world of spirits," he commented gleefully. "Your power had brought me here, I see."

"My power?" Ruka repeated, backing away again. 'Someone, help,' she thought desperately.

The Professor laughed, edging on maniacal. "Your power as a Signer! There are individuals desiring that power!" He held out one hand and Id appeared beside him, bearing its fangs. "Saa, let's see more of that power of yours."

But before the monster could attack, a bright light flashed through the forest. It coalesced into a glowing shape and blinked out as Sapphire Pegasus moved to stand between Ruka and the Super Demonic Lord.

The Gem Beast tossed his head and ordered, "Get on!"

As Ruka obeyed him quickly, grabbing Kuribbon as well, Sapphire Pegasus leapt into the air, flying quickly over Id and the Professor. "How are you here?" Ruka asked as they soared through the forest.

"Johan tried to forcefully end your duel," Sapphire Pegasus explained. "That won't be enough for you to wake up now that you have come here, but it means that the rules of a duel no longer apply either, so we can help you freely."

"Then, how can I wake up?" Ruka asked, clutching Kuribbon closer. Around them, the forest seemed to die away, leaving only dead trunks and withered leaves.

"Only you know that," Sapphire Pegasus answered simply. They had reached a clearing now, and the Duel Monster landed gently beside a dried riverbed. On the other bank, a crag towered over the deadened landscape.

Slipping off the Gem Beast's back, Ruka looked around. She… knew this place. "This is… where I went back then," she murmured to herself. "Just like Johan-nii was telling us…"

Ruka remembered, she had always been able to hear the voices of the spirits, and after following them further and further with every duel, she had followed them all the way to their world one day. This place had been alive then, the river flowing with clear water, the banks covered with flowers, and the Duel Monster spirits had greeted her here.

And watching over all of them had been…

_"That's right, Ruka,"_ a disembodied but familiar voice spoke to her. _"You have kept your promise. You have returned to protect this world."_

"Ancient Fairy Dragon…" Ruka whispered, her eyes widening as the memories she had locked away flooded through her mind.

She had been so happy.

_"I'm not lonely here anymore," her three year old self had said. "I promise, I'll stay here and protect you all!"_

"That's right… I did promise that. But I was so scared! I was so scared to stay here and protect you all alone!" Ruka called back, guilt and that same fear washing over her. "And when Rua called me, I followed him home…"

A wave of malevolent intent made Ruka spin around. In a swirl of darkness, Professor Frank appeared in front of her, still wearing the same cruel smile. "No matter how far you run, you can't get away from your power, your identity as a Signer," he said with an almost mocking lilt. "Saa, come with me, to a world that will awaken that power completely."

Behind him, Id the Super Demonic Lord rose into being, growling menacingly. As Ruka backed away, Sapphire Pegasus moved between her and the other monster, spreading his wings protectively.

"Rua!" Ruka called desperately. "Rua! Call me home again! Call out to me like you did back then! Rua!"

_"Ruka..."_ her brother's voice whispered in reply. _"Ruka..."_

"Rua! Where are you? Please, bring me back!"

"I can't. I was watching." Rua's voice sounded strange and echoing, but the same spirit Ruka had always secretly admired and envied still shone through. "You promised to protect everyone, didn't you? You have to protect them, and I'll protect you!"

"But you're not here! I want to protect everyone, but I can't do this alone!" Ruka screamed as Id attacked Sapphire Pegasus, momentarily grappling with the Gem Beast before destroying him in a burst of light.

_"Ruka! Ruka!"_ Ancient Fairy Dragon called out to her, struggling against its rock prison.

_"Ruka!"_ Rua called out, still separated from her by worlds.

"Luca," whispered a voice right next to her, "you're not alone."

Seven lights flared around her, each a different color and brilliance. Their radiance spread across the desolate landscape, engulfing Ruka and the Professor, burning away Id, Kuribbon's restraints, and even the Ancient Forest. A roar echoed around them, pulling them away.

As she fell into the warm, gentle light, Ruka reached out her brother. She could feel his presence now, just like she had back then. Voices spoke around her, as if she was an eavesdropper.

_"This is not your destiny. You cannot protect her from the evil that is coming."_

_"I know. But I can protect her now… and I can guide her. Please! Ruka is still a child!"_

_"Free me, return me to her, and I will give her all my power…"_

And then everything slipped away completely.

-

-

Rua woke abruptly, blinking a little groggily at the familiar ceiling of their living room. 'Huh,' he thought with dull surprise. 'I'm home.'

"I'm home!" he exclaimed, shooting up. And he was. "What? But I was in the lobby with Johan-nii! …Are, it feels like I dreaming about something…" Rua trailed off, putting a hand to his head. "Ruka… Ruka! And that creepy guy!"

Jumping to his feet, Rua ran out onto the patio, only to stop abruptly. The creepy Professor was gone without a trace, but Johan and Ruka lay sprawled to one side. They were breathing though, and they didn't seem hurt, Rua noted with relief as he knelt next to them.

"Ruka! Ruka!" he called, shaking his sister by the shoulder. To his relief, the girl stirred after a moment, slowly opening her eyes and blinking at him.

"Rua..? Am I back?" she asked dazedly. "I… I went to the world of Duel Monster Spirits again, and then the Gem Beasts appeared…"

Blinking away her drowsiness, Ruka pulled out the seven cards. None of them responded, instead giving off an aura of exhaustion. 'They must have helped me get home,' Ruka thought. 'They and Johan-nii… But how? I thought… I saw something, when the Gem Beasts combined their power. A large, powerful shape…'

"Hey! Ruka! Johan's not waking up!" Rua's voice pulled her away from her thoughts. The boy was shaking their guardian by the shoulder, quite desperately now, but he received no response. For an instant, Ruka felt panic surge through her too, but then something (or was it someone?) calmed her.

"It's okay," she said with confidence. "Let him rest, okay? He'll be just fine."

'But the reason Johan-nii got hurt at all was because I couldn't do anything. I was so scared, and even though I decided to honor my promise, I wasn't strong enough…' Ruka thought, despairingly. She remembered the words of the two voices, Johan-nii and Ancient Fairy Dragon, she realized. 'That's right. This is my destiny and my battle. I have to get stronger and protect everyone – the Ancient Forest, the spirits, Ancient Fairy Dragon, Johan-nii, and Rua too. As a Signer, and as Ruka too.'

-

-

A/N: Wow, lamest chapter yet, and also long. So yeah, there will be a limited use of Fortune Cup stuff. While this may seem very filler, since it covers the same stuff as Ruka's consolation match, there are important implications. 1) Professor Frank ran off to report everything, including Ruka's Signer status and Johan's involvement. Up to now, Godwin hasn't thought anything of Johan, but now he'll have a reason to investigate more.

2) Johan is going to be looking for the Ancient Fairy Dragon. Of course, there is a limit to what he can accomplish until we get to the Dark Signers, who have the card now, but it'll be important much later on.

3) Ruka, Rua and Johan are now aware that someone is actively looking into the Signers. Until now it was only suspicion, but this kicks things up a notch.

Now, since there seems to be a steady stream of people reading this, let's have a game! Anyone who can correctly guess the theme behind chapter names can request a short sidestory about any of the characters!

XDDD Please review!


	8. had begun to overflow

-

-

Cross Game

08: had begun to overflow (_who will bear all of this?_)

-

-

In the dueling fields of Daimon Area, the day was proceeding as usual. A ragged crowd had gathered, most bearing markers, and several duels were in progress. However, almost all the attention was fixed on one specific duel that was now approaching its conclusion.

"Junk Warrior, attack! Scrap Fist!" Yusei ordered his monster, watching stoically as his opponent's Life Points were reduced to zero. The duel over, their Duel Disks shut off and the purple Duel Monster disappeared. Replacing his cards to his deck, Yusei walked up to his defeated opponent, a young man with short dark hair that stuck out in the back.

Holding out his hand, Yusei said, "Thank you for the duel."

The young man looked up, still drooping sadly, and managed a crooked smile. He was a far more gracious loser than the rest of Yusei's recent opponents. Accepting Yusei's handshake, he replied, "Thanks. You're strong, but this is the first time I've seen you here. I didn't think I was away that long."

He didn't have a marker, Yusei noted absently. "I started coming the last few days," he provided, seeing a chance to get in some questions of his own. "Fudo Yusei," he introduced himself.

"I'm Dick Pitt," the young man replied as the two walked to one side of the open arena to make room for another duel. "Wait… are you _that_ Yusei? The one who beat that fat bastard Takasu?"

Yusei blinked in surprise and nodded silently. Smirking, Dick shot him an appraising look and shrugged. "Well, I feel a bit better about losing now. You're as good as Aoyama said."

"Aoyama?" Yusei repeated, remembering the young man he had been cellmates with at the detention center. He had given up his own plans of escape in order to help Yusei in his duel.

Dick nodded. "Yeah, that idiot Kouhei. He's still in lock up right now, but I visited him a bit back. Seems like he might actually get out okay now that Takasu's gone."

"That's good," Yusei said. For a few moments, the two watched the pair of duelists who had taken their place. But another commotion quickly caught their attention. A tall, broad shouldered figure wrapped completely in a dark cloak had made its way to the center of the square, gathering the attention of the crowds.

"Is it… _her_?" someone whispered.

"No way, that's definitely a guy," someone else replied.

"Great, another freak," Dick muttered next to Yusei, crossing his arms. "We get all kinds of weirdoes around here…"

Having gained the attention of almost the entire area – most of it not positive – the figure pulled off its cloak in a needlessly dramatic motion, revealing a man in gaudy gold armor, with a shield-shaped Duel Disk on his arm.

"Heed me, ye scoundrels and rogues!" the knight declared pompously, earning himself increasingly malevolent glares from the crowd. "I, Jill de Launcebeaux, the Iron-blooded Knight, have ventured into this den of villainy with a single purpose – to defeat that evil fiend, the Black Rose Witch! Come, Witch, and face me!"

The crowd buzzed at the knight's speech, some bemused, some angry, some outright mocking. Yusei shifted in surprise, turning to Dick. "Will she really come?" he asked somewhat dubiously.

"Hope not," the street duelist grumbled. "I can't believe he's dumb enough to want to fight her."

Ignoring the jeering crowd, the knight repeated his challenged, punctuated with sharp stabs of his sword that kept the street duelists from getting too close. Yusei narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. 'Why does he think she'll appear today?' he wondered. 'I've come here for several days, but there's no sign of her, and everyone I asked said there was no pattern to when she appears…'

Was there something the knight knew? Or was he just a complete crackpot?

As the surprise and novelty of the knight's bold challenges wore off, the crowd started to disperse, losing interest and clearly doubtful that the Black Rose Witch would appear. Next to Yusei, Dick shrugged and, saying a quick goodbye, left to find another opponent.

Yusei lingered for a moment longer, watching the self assured knight, before even his patience began to run out. But as he turned away to go, the mark on his arm flared painfully.

A whirlwind of dust and smoke momentarily obscured the dueling field, and when it cleared, a cloaked figure stood at one end, facing the knight.

The Black Rose Witch had appeared.

"Foul witch! Face me in a fair duel!" Sir Jill challenged again, raising and activating his modified Duel Disk. An almost palpable wave of malevolence rolled off the cloaked figure of the Black Rose Witch as she activated her own Duel Disk in response.

The knight took the first turn, quickly summoning two leveled Masked Knights in succession and directly attacking his opponent, though the Black Rose Witch did not even flinch as the Solid Vision blasts hit her. Around the field, the street duelists wavered in a loose circle, both fascinated by the match and afraid to come nearer. They clung to the surrounding buildings, and occasionally a particularly brave fool would cheer on the knight they had previously so mocked.

Completely unfazed by the knight's assault, the witch quickly summoned a defensive Plant-type monster. Then, as she laid down a Tuner card, Yusei's arm throbbed again, the Dragon mark pulsing.

"Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower…Set into bloom!" the witch chanted lowly as a brilliant light flared around her. A roar resounded through the area as gale-force winds forced the spectators to the ground.

'This is… Black Rose Dragon,' Yusei thought, watching as the monster he had only glimpsed before appeared on the witch's field.

The crowd cowered away even further, some fleeing at the sight of the ill omen dragon, but instead of attacking, the Black Rose Dragon raised its wings and roared. Another whirlwind swept across the dueling field, wiping away the knight's monster and face down card, and then destroying the dragon as well.

"What…?" Yusei wondered aloud, his eyes narrowing. Hearing someone come up beside him, he turned quickly to find himself facing the young man he had seen the last time the Black Rose Witch had appeared. "You again," Yusei said flatly.

"Black Rose Dragon's monster effect, Black Rose Gale, destroys all cards on the field when it is summoned," the stranger explained, not taking his eyes off the duel. "And next, she'll use that…"

As the winds settled, the field magic panel on the witch's Duel Disk slid open, and she placed a card inside. Dark, thorned vines burst from the ground around her, building a cage around the two duelists.

Peering between the vines, Yusei could see the battle continue, but unlike an ordinary Solid Vision, this Field Magic wasn't transparent. Next to him, the stranger shook his head.

"He's screwed. Like she says, that is Black Garden, a demon's realm that flowers by using life as nourishment. That Field Magic is the worst," the other young man muttered. His eyes narrowed a little as he followed the progress of the duel inside, apparently not nearly as hindered by the Black Garden as Yusei.

'You sound like you're speaking from experience,' Yusei thought, staring at the stranger distrustfully. Something about him bothered the D-Wheeler, something about his entire attitude.

Or maybe it was his knowledge of the Singers. Nothing good had come of that for Yusei. Since the crimson mark had first appeared on his arm, he had come under far too much scrutiny from far too many sources. Yusei strongly suspected that everything that had happened at the detention center had been driven by Godwin's interest in the Dragon mark, and since being freed Yusei had been tailed almost constantly.

Was this knight also connected to that?

(And… the thought had been preying on Yusei's mind for a long time… had Jack's departure, his sudden "chance" to leave Satellite, also come because of the crimson mark? Jack was also a Signer. Had he been allowed to leave and then raised to the status of King because he possessed that mark?)

Frankly, Yusei was starting to develop a knee-jerk distrust toward anyone with interest in all things Signer – with the possible exception of old man Yanagi. Just what was this guy's interest in Signers? Why did he even know what the mark meant? Unlike Yusei and the Black Rose Witch, he hadn't reacted when they had all been together, so it was unlikely that he was a Signer as well, so why?

When you got down to it, anything unknown and uncertain was a potential threat.

"How do you know the Black Rose Witch?" Yusei asked suspiciously.

"We used to be part of the same group," the stranger replied ambiguously, then suddenly winced a little at something in the battle.

Turning back to the caged field, Yusei tried to figure out what was happening. Sir Jill was yelling again, as he had periodically, and Yusei could just make out his words. "Turning my own knight against me, a truly vile scheme!" he declared. "How dare you, foul witch!"

'Betrayal? They are no longer part of the same group, so did he...?' Yusei wondered. Next to him, the stranger winced again at some move on the witch's part.

"Why are you following her around?" Yusei asked, eyeing him with renewed dislike.

The young man wriggled, clearly unhappy with the topic. "Isn't that a little personal? You don't ask things like that about people you haven't even introduced yourself to!"

"Fudo Yusei," Yusei introduced himself tonelessly. "Why are you following her around?"

"Yuki Judai, and aren't you doing the same thing?" Judai replied, still looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"I want to talk to her about our situation," Yusei shot back. Yuki had already shown that he knew about the Signer marks, so there was no point in hiding that, and Yusei's intentions weren't a secret anyway. "Why are you following her?"

Yuki shot him another unhappy look but relented. "Man, you're awfully persistent," he complained, but somehow he didn't seem entirely displeased with that. "I'm worried about her, that's all. I mean, yeah, she's kinda pissed at me now, but I still consider her my friend. And this whole business is really nasty. I meant what I said before. There are lots of people who want to control that power of yours. So I'm just keeping an eye on her."

Although Yusei wanted to ask more, his attention was pulled away as the Black Garden suddenly began to wither and die. The vines crumbled, revealing a tall Masked Knight on Sir Jill's side of the field, but whatever monsters the witch had also disappeared quickly. In the remains, a violet blaze sprang up, rising higher and higher.

Then, out of a pillar of purple flame, the Black Rose Dragon appeared again. "Masked Knight Level 7's attack power returns to 2900!" the knight declared, refusing to cower away from the roaring monster. "Why did you cast aside your Black Garden? It is almost as if you are personally ruining your chances of winning! Foul witch, are you cornered so badly you've gone daft?!"

If nothing else, she had certainly unsettled him, but Yusei felt certain that the Black Rose Witch was perfectly aware of her actions. She was going to win, and a quick glance at Yuki only confirmed it. His expression was almost a little pained, remembering an unpleasant experience.

"Black Rose Dragon's monster effect allows it to reduce a monster's attack to zero when all Plant-type monsters are removed from the Graveyard," Yuki explained without prompting. As he spoke, a transparent vision of the witch's first monster appeared in front of the dragon, only to be smashed into pieces. Glowing vines shot from the witch's duel monster to bind the Masked Knight, rendering it useless.

Sir Jill involuntarily stepped back, his expression horrified at the knowledge of his impending defeat – and the pain that was sure to accompany it. Even now, his once pristine gold armour was dented and scratched from the battle. This last attack would be the worst yet.

"Battle," the Black Rose Witch declared quietly, malevolently. "You, knight, who hoists such fabricated righteousness… Take the cold flames of sorrow upon your form." Ignoring Sir Jill's panicked pleading, she held out her arm. "Black Rose Flare!"

A maelstrom of violet flame engulfed the knight, and when it cleared, he dropped to his knees almost lifelessly. Silence settled over the area as the crowd of street duelists in the shadows watched in horror and fear. It had been a long time since someone had been so completely eliminated by the Black Rose Witch.

"She's gotten stronger," Yuki muttered darkly. "But… What have they been doing?"

But Yusei barely heard him, his eyes widening as he stared across the dueling field. To everyone's surprise, the battered knight slowly stumbled to his feet, reeling drunkenly. "You vile beast…" he rasped, taking an unsteady step toward the Black Rose Witch. "In the name of my ancestors… I will slay you!"

Roaring, he drew his sword and charged, taking the spectators and even the witch herself by surprise. Though she quickly slapped a card onto her Duel Disk, thorned vines bursting out of the ground in front of her and slamming into the knight, the flat of his blade still caught her heavily across one shoulder.

The summoned monster tossed Sir Jill away easily and moved to guard its mistress as the Black Rose Witch clutched at her injured shoulder and dropped to one knee.

The crowd began to mutter angrily with increasing strength.

"He hit her!"

"That witch! She's a monster!"

"Get rid of her!"

"Get out of here, you monster!"

Suddenly, everyone was yelling all at once. Someone threw a piece of trash at the kneeling figure, missing widely. But that alone seemed to signal something as the street duelists began to advance on the Black Rose Witch, launching a hailstorm of trash, empty cans and even pieces of the crumbling buildings.

His arm burning again, Yusei stepped toward the witch but a hand on his arm stopped him. He glared at Yuki over his shoulder.

"You want to leave her to fight all of them alone?" he demanded.

Yuki glared back. "No, but wait until I distract them to go rushing in! She's not going to be happy but just take her and run," he ordered.

Frowning faintly but knowing this wasn't the time for animosity or questions, Yusei nodded and braced himself for whatever Yuki was planning to do.

"Now!" the young man barked, and suddenly something seemed to sweep over the duel field, sending the mob to their knees, clutching their heads.

Running between the writhing bodies, Yusei grabbed the witch by her uninjured arm and pulled her to her feet. He pointedly ignored her attempts to pull away, instead dragging her with him as he dashed away. Everyone except them seemed completely incapacitated, and though some tried to grab at their legs as they passed, a few well placed kicks cleared the way.

Yusei hadn't spent his life on the streets for nothing, and as soon as they reached the buildings, the two Signers vanished from sight.

As soon as they were out of the mob's reach, Judai nodded to the spirit next to him and made his own escape as the street duelists tried to regain their bearings. Unlike Yusei, Judai was not a pro at avoiding pursuers, so instead he took a simpler route – hiding out someplace no one was going to look.

Reaching the nearest building, Judai quickly moved inside and climbed up to the roof with the ease of long practice. From there, he observed the mob start a hunt for Aki, and whoever had helped her, shouting at each other and running around wildly. Though they quickly searched the building beneath him, not one thought to check on top. They never did.

Judai pulled back from the edge and sighed to himself, shooting a look at the spirit that had made their swift escape possible. "Thanks, Yubel," he said quietly.

Yubel smiled faintly, her mismatched orange and turquoise eyes lighting up with pleasure. "I will always protect you, Judai," she replied.

Swallowing the uneasiness that simple phrase still brought him, Judai continued, "That went really well. Those two got away and seems like everyone's fine. I guess we've really gotten better!" He gave the spirit a bright smile, trying to mask his own awkwardness with the topic. Yubel smiled back, but she too seemed to feel the implications.

Her control hadn't always been that good.

A flutter of wings made both of them look up. Grateful for the distraction, the duelist and the spirit watched as a large brown eagle settled onto a pipe nearby. It studied the commotion out on the dueling field below, dying down a bit now, with a critical gaze.

'Huh,' Judai thought, 'a Duel Monster.'

Noticing his attention, the eagle turned its head and raised one wing in a salute. "Yo!" it squawked.

"Yo," Judai replied automatically. Thinking for a moment, he ventured, "Are you, by any chance, Johan's?"

Flapping its wings, the eagle laughed. "That's right! Cobalt Eagle at your service!" Then, more seriously, the spirit remarked, "Seems like you've been having the same problem as us. Someone's testing the Signers, me thinks, yeah?"

Judai's eyes narrowed. "I thought there was something fishy about this. So then that person Johan was worried about…?"

"We got a visit from an assassin too," Cobalt Eagle finished his thought. "That's why we've been looking around at what's goin' on in the city like this, even though it's a bit hard on Johan. It's better than just worrying, yeah?"

Judai nodded. 'That's right, Duel Monster spirits can't normally go very far from their cards,' he remembered from his own experiences. 'Even Yubel has trouble being far apart… That Johan must be helping them, but that's pretty straining even for a strong psychic.'

Cobalt Eagle was silent for a few moments, then remarked casually, "You know you're bein' monitored, right?" At Judai's surprised and annoyed look, the spirit nodded. "Yeah, I saw 'em. This real shady van arrived same time as that knight fellow and parked a few blocks over. They've got all these weird gadgets inside, were scurrying around like crazy when the missy dueled. Don't think they got what they wanted though…"

"Where?" Judai asked, frowning.

"Well, a bit over that way," Cobalt Eagle replied, one wing pointing out a direction. "But you probably shouldn't just walk up to them, yeah? Drawin' attention to yourself like that is a bad idea in this town."

Judai smirked. "Thanks for the warning." 'But I can't just let this go.'

Ruffling his wings, Cobalt Eagle said in a lighter tone, "Anyway, Johan was serious 'bout that duel. Drop by anytime, yeah? And tell that Yusei he should stop by too."

"Okay?" Judai replied, a little surprised, as Cobalt Eagle nodded to both him and Yubel and took to the air, fading quickly from sight.

"Are you going to check it out?" Yubel asked as Judai stood up and looked around.

Judging the distance between the building he was on and the next one over, Judai nodded to himself. "Yeah. I can't pass up a lead like this. Someone is definitely messing with Aki, and it's not even the Arcadia Movement…"

'They wouldn't try something like this,' Judai thought to himself angrily. 'Not that they're doing such a great job. That Divine… What's he been doing all this time? Aki's gotten stronger, but all her pain and anger has only multiplied. Wasn't he going to help her overcome the Black Rose Witch? Tch!'

Jumping across roofs in the direction Cobalt Eagle had indicated, Judai soon found the suspicious van in question. It was very plain and fairly non-descriptive, but it was entirely too new and un-dented to belong in the Daimon area. Hopping down to the ground, Judai crept up to the van and placed his ear against the back doors.

"-no reaction until the very end. When that fool attacked her directly, there was a very minor spike in the signal. Also, we detected some resonance from the other subject, though it was probably only a response to her overwhelming power," someone inside the van was reporting. Although the speaker had a high, nasally voice, there was nothing to indicate who he might be or who he worked for. Silently, Judai cursed the van's covered windows.

After a short pause, another voice replied, this one deep and calm. "I see. Return now and compile a full report."

'The leader,' Judai thought, trying to remember what the voice sounded like on the off chance he'd hear it again. He was a bit disappointed that this was all he could get though…

"Judai!" Yubel suddenly hissed, making the duelist jump in surprise.

Suddenly, he realized he could hear sirens nearby. Security had arrived to disperse the mob, and they were coming his way. But before Judai could get run for cover, the doors of the van burst open as a man in a long white lab coat stumbled out.

He and Judai stared at each other in surprise for a moment before the duelist cursed and scrambled away. The scientist tried to call after him, but the sirens were drawing closer and instead he ran to the driver's side door. Settling into the cab, he started the van and sped away quickly, apparently not at all keen on a confrontation with Security.

Moving back into the middle of the now-deserted alley, Judai rubbed the back of his head in mild bewilderment. He had actually thought that they were in line with the local government, so there'd be no reason to run from the police… Unless they were some super secret conspiracy?

"Judai," Yubel warned again, just before a Security officer on a D-Wheel pulled up at the entrance.

"Hey! You!" the officer called. "What are you doing here?! Let's see some ID!"

To be perfectly honest, Judai hadn't possessed the patience to wade through the mountains of paperwork necessary to enter Neo Domino. Instead, he had just snuck in. So while he had some ID, it definitely wasn't what the Security officer would want.

Spinning around to face him, Judai stuck out his tongue and sprang away, into the window of the building next to him. He could hear the officer cursing and calling for back up as he ran. This was definitely going to be fun…

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A/N: I quit. This chapter was pathetic and the next one is…. I hate Aki. That's it. It's not freakin' worth it. Why does she have to be so hard? I'll never write anything again, you hear me!


	9. waves of emotion, coming together

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Cross Game

09: waves of emotion, coming together (_my heart and your heart are meeting here_)

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In her mind, Aki cursed creatively, mostly at herself, but also at Judai and the young man dragging her along the back alleys of the Daimon Area. She had gotten careless, assuming that the fool knight wouldn't be able to get up again after her last attack. She hadn't expected him to just pull his sword and attack. And it had been a long time since an entire mob had turned on her.

She'd handled them last time, of course, and she could have handled them again. They were no match for her power.

But instead, Judai had interfered. He had probably been following her again. She could easily recognize Yubel's power. The thought made something in her chest clench a little.

'Since when did Yubel do anything except lash out at anyone that threatened or came close to Judai? And to have that sort of control and range… Judai, have you really gotten that much stronger?' she wondered. 'And… have you truly accepted that monster?'

Seeing no one else around, she stopped abruptly and wrenched her arm from the other Signer's grasp. As he turned to look at her questioningly, she demanded angrily, "Why did you interfere?!"

The young man regarded her calmly for a moment. "I wanted to talk to you," he said, seemingly unfazed by her anger. "There is a safe place nearby. It's not a good idea to stay out here," he continued neutrally. As if to underline his point, angry voices reached them from nearby, joined by more distant sirens, probably from Security coming to clear out the mob.

"How do you know Yuki?" she asked instead, ignoring the nearing commotion.

"I don't," the young man replied simply. "He was just there. He said you two used to be part of the same group and that he was worried about you."

At least Judai was consistent in his story. 'He's probably telling the truth,' Aki reminded herself. 'Judai isn't really capable of deception. He is simply a fool.' His worry was misplaced, but it gave Aki a bittersweet feeling. She was still so very angry with him, but he was still the same simple, honest idiot.

The other Signer was watching her calmly again. "I want to talk to you," he repeated, "about that mark."

Aki snarled at the mention of the Dragon's birthmark. "I want nothing to do with that wretched mark or with those that bear it!"

"Wretched?" he repeated, staring at her levelly. "Why do you hate it that much? What does it mean to you?"

"I hate that mark!" she declared vehemently. "If I didn't have that power, I would… It is a wretched mark that is engraved into the monsters that have transcended beyond people!"

His eyes narrowed, whether in anger or just thought, Aki didn't know, but before he could say anything, a Security D-Wheel pulled up at entrance of the alley they were in, the colored lights momentarily blinking them both.

"Hey, you!" the officer called out. "You in the cloak and you with the marker! Get your hands up!"

Pulling a card from her deck, Aki quickly summoned a thorny whip to strike him. Without waiting to see the results, both she and the other Signer dashed away. Instead of risking the streets, still filled with rioting duelists and Security officers, they slipped into an abandoned building in hopes of waiting out their pursuers. As they crouched between some half-destroyed crates, Aki glared at the young man in annoyance.

He didn't seem fazed by her obvious anger. "Yuki's power is different," he remarked thoughtfully. He wasn't even breathing heavily, Aki noted with growing ire.

"That was something else," she bit out. "He has the same power too." Though, like Divine, Judai wasn't nearly as strong. 'Even among psychics, I'm…' she thought faintly.

The other Signer was watching her again. "You hate that power," he noted, making Aki tense. "Do you hate him?"

'Do I hate Judai?' That was a good question. She was angry with him. Very, very angry. But… that wasn't hate. Aki knew about hate, and that feeling wasn't even close. And wasn't she angry with him for something completely different anyway? She'd never considered Judai in terms of his powers…

Even though she didn't answer, the other Signer seemed to understand. "But you hate me," he said tonelessly. "Because of this mark…" He placed his left hand on his marked arm, looking down at it thoughtfully. Looking up again, he continued, "For me, it appeared only a little while ago. And already…"

Outside the building, sirens wailed loudly, interrupting him. Red and blue lights flashed through the cracks in the walls and the windows.

"Come out! I know you're in there, Satellite scum!" a deep voice called, amplified by loud speakers.

"Him again?" the young man commented, his eyes narrowing. "The Security duelist from before…"

Aki ignored him. "How are they doing that?" she wondered instead, beginning to lose her patience. But as she pulled out a set of cards to drive them off, the other Signer laid his hand on hers.

Shaking his head, he tapped the yellow mark on his cheek. "I forgot. It's this," he reminded her. "I'll lead them away." As he stood, Aki followed him to her feet, somehow left swinging by the sudden turn of events. He had followed her so persistently until then, but now he was just going to leave? Of course, there would be no way for them to talk peacefully with Security constantly trailing the signal of his marker, but…

"Wait," Aki called without thinking. "What's your name?"

He stared at her with an undecipherable expression, and Aki suddenly realized that all he could see was her white mask. "Fudo Yusei," he said plainly.

And then he was gone, darting out of the building and out into the streets. Angry yells echoed outside as the Security officers noticed his flight, and the sirens quickly drew away, eventually fading into silence.

Aki remained standing in among the ruined crates and equipment, in the half-gloom of the abandoned warehouse. Reaching up, she pulled off her mask and turned it over. The empty white eyes stared up at her, the red markings like tears or blood, or both.

_"Godwin and his Yliaster are trying to resurrect the symbol of the wicked, the Crimson Dragon,"_ Divine had explained to her after their meeting with Judai. _"Be careful,"_ he had warned her when she told him about the other Signer. _"He might be an agent of Yliaster, like their puppet the King."_

'It doesn't seem that way,' Aki thought, putting a hand on her marked arm without conscious thought. 'This mark truly is a curse. Maybe he's the one Judai should be worrying about. Yusei Fudo…'

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If even two people are reading this, then I'll keep going! (That, and I really don't want to give up. There are so many juicy things I haven't been able to get to…!) Though, this is my not impressed face, guys. Seriously.

Aki is the absolute worst. I just decided that, screw her character, OOC all the way, in the end. But Judai is pretty close. Forget Jack. It's Judai that just doesn't work for me. (It really doesn't help that I screwed over his backstory. Go ahead and guess what's up with him. It's not really hard…)

(Mind you, Aki is so much worse.)

I realized that I had screwed up with Aki after rewatching her duel with Yusei. I had completely forgotten about her "I hate Signers" thing and her "I developed an alter ego that enjoys destruction" thing. Damn Aki. Yeah, the alter ego thing is fine, I'll work it in, but she's not going to hate Signers. Sorry! (Yeah, yeah, I totally killed her character. I realize, really…)

I can't decide what I hate writing more – character interaction or plot. As a reader, I prefer character interaction (why do you think I read all those super mushy and super angsty stories?). But as a writer, it seems like plot of the talking heads variety comes easiest to me.

Originally I started this as a characterization-based pseudo-yaoi-maybe-if-you-squint story, but it's more about plot now, isn't it? Sigh. (And no yaoi. T____T Where is my boy love?)

A big thank you to my constant reviewers, **Rashan-Rei** and **animeraven259**. You guys are awesome.


	10. unsolvable by algorithm

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Cross Game

10: unsolvable by algorithm (_plans and schemes and such unconstant things)_

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Waiting for his manager to arrive, Edo Phoenix ruminated on his recent duel with Neo Domino's King, Jack Atlas. The aftermath of that had taken hours to sort out, and Edo vaguely felt bad about jeopardizing the Marufuji brothers' negotiations. But it would probably be alright, he assured himself. After all, there was no connection between them and what had happened at all. Edo had taken all the blame for himself very quickly, and anyway who could have known that this would happen? He had only asked for a simple match after all...

In fact, maybe this would help speed up the slow-paced talks by giving Godwin extra incentive to provide an alternate form of entertainment to the masses now that the King was temporarily out of commission.

'King,' Edo thought with disgust. 'How pompous. At least the Kaiser hadn't made it up himself, or even supported his own title.' Why was everyone so fixated on that guy anyway?

_"He is a Signer, a person capable to unleashing a great power,"_ Saiou had said. _"A power that can change the world."_

Edo frowned at the memory. Why should someone like Atlas have that sort of power? A guy like that...

The sound of a motor across the waves made Edo look up and out across the harbor. A yacht was approaching the Neo Domino docks, its familiar form making the pro duelist automatically relax a little. As the boat began to dock, he swiftly climbed aboard and searched out its single passenger.

"Saiou!" Edo greeted with an honest, open smile.

The tall pale young man smiled in return, though his wavered a little around the edges, especially as the boat rocked more violently than usual.

"Rough seas?" Edo asked, carefully leading Saiou by arm onto the peer. "You should have flown."

"I take to planes even worse than ships," Saiou replied mildly as the two watched the small crew scurry around the boat. "You know that, Edo."

The pro duelist laughed quietly. "How is Mizuchi?" he asked instead.

"Good. She's made some friends," Saiou replied with a faint smile, the mere thought of his sister lifting his spirits. The two lapsed into silence for a few minutes before Edo spoke again.

"I dueled Atlas," he said without preamble. "I saw that mark of his... But I think our Destiny deck may have been too much for him." Smirking grimly, Edo pulled out the cards, offering them to Saiou. As the seer laid one hand on them, reading the events of the duel, Edo continued. "He broke his arm and has been hospitalized."

Opening his eyes again, Saiou studied Edo closely. "I'm sorry," he finally apologized. "I'm making you bear that guilt again."

Edo waved off his concern, chuckling darkly. "It's fine. This time... it was the best way to test him, right? Something about him annoyed me anyway. And he'll be fine in any case."

Letting it go, Saiou asked instead, "And how did the talks go?"

"Oh fine," Edo replied off-handedly. "Those two are really determined." Sometimes, it made Edo almost sick, thinking about it. He wanted to tell them they were blaming the wrong people, but he couldn't afford to throw away everything he and Saiou had worked for. They weren't completely wrong, were they? The Pro Leagues really were corrupt. The entire dueling world was corrupt. They and Edo were each working to change that in their own way...

"I'm glad," Saiou said, giving Edo another considering look. "The cards haven't been very clear, but their future seems bright. In the end, I'm certain it will work out for them."

'That's right, Saiou feels the same way I do,' Edo thought.

"What are our plans now?" he asked.

Saiou thought for a moment, his eyes taking on a distant look. When they had first met, Edo had wondered if he was talking to spirits or the like when he stared blankly into the distance like that, but now the pro duelist knew better. Not everything Saiou did was mystical. In the end, his friend was just as human as everyone else. Far more so than some.

"We wait," Saiou finally replied. "Things have started moving, but that only means that the flow of events can no longer be predicted. From here, we will shape a new destiny." Turning to Edo, he smiled. "You should enjoy the city. We'll be staying here for the duration of the negotiations, and I think that will be quite a while."

"Enjoy the city?" Edo asked skeptically, already foreseeing the boredom he would languish in for days on end. And the no dueling ban was probably still in place too...

"That's right," Saiou smiled conspiratorially. "In your cards, I saw a meeting with an old acquaintance. Don't worry. You won't be as bored as you think."

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As Director, Rex Godwin had a large, expensive and highly impressive office in the Public Security Maintenance Bureau's main building, with a wide desk, a deep chair and a spectacular panoramic view of Neo Domino City. As a man running an ancient organization and a city, he rarely had the time to spend in that office and in that chair.

Any and all waking moments were occupied. Even as he and his subordinate climbed into the Director's limo, Godwin turned to Jaeger, gesturing for him to begin his report.

"Now, what of the King?" he asked, folding his hands and Jaeger flipped through several Solid Vision screens.

Jaeger cleared his throat. "Ye-es. Well, as you know, sir the King has a simple fracture in his right arm. It should be healed within two-three weeks, but he will be unable to duel in the meantime, and the doctors suggest another two weeks rest after the cast is removed, to allow the bones to strengthen." The clown paused, eying the Director nervously. "He has refused to further elaborate on the circumstances, though he and Phoenix both admit to starting an unsanctioned duel."

Godwin closed his eyes for a moment in thought. "A broken arm from a duel is not unheard of. Certainly, the King is prideful enough to have accepted a challenge and to have chosen a place where they would not be observed or disturbed." He would also be easily prideful enough to refuse to explain his injury in full. "None the less, have Phoenix tailed. His background checks were inconclusive, especially concerning his exceptionally skilled manager."

"Hehe. And the two that he came with?" Jaeger asked, chuckling darkly.

"They do not seem to be involved. Possibly, they are being manipulated without their knowledge, but they will serve a purpose for us as well," Godwin said calmly. "Draft up a contract. It seems our Neo Domino City will be entering a temporary partnership with the GENEX Circuit."

Jaeger made quick notes in the Solid Vision. He, like all of the Bureau's innermost personnel, was a dedicated member of Yliaster, but he was also very, very good at his job. At the very least, Godwin did not foresee any problems with the Circuit negotiations.

"Now," he said instead, his tactician's mind quickly slipping onto another track, "what of the other Signers?"

Pulling up the first appropriate report, Jaeger chuckled. "Professor Frank is still in debriefing, but it seems his report has some very interesting things, ye-es. He contacted the girl's parents as planned and easily gained a session with her. He reports that the guardian and the brother were very protective and distrustful but after they left, he quickly engaged the girl in a duel. His hypnosis was effective in awakening her latent powers and memories. Akutsu's data supports this. Both the Professor and the girl's mind were transported to the world of Duel Monster Spirits."

As Jaeger paused, chuckling nastily, Godwin narrowed his eyes. The report was good thus far, but it seemed they had reached the part that led to Professor Frank's continued detainment by Yliaster.

"Heheh, the Professor summoned his monster to pursue the girl, driving her to an area of the Ancient Forest that had been contaminated. A monster he could not identify aided her, but he destroyed it." Jaeger laughed again, and Godwin could see the source of his amusement. Even from a simple summary, it was clear the Professor's actions were outside the boundaries of what was sanctioned by Yliaster.

At the Director's sharp look, Jaeger shrugged and continued, "However, he and the girl were forcibly driven out of the world of Duel Monster Spirits by some being. The Professor reports a long, thin silhouette and seven lights, but can provide nothing else."

In a rare show of surprise, Godwin's eyes widened and he tilted his head slightly. "That is not the Ancient Fairy Dragon," he commented with certainty, matching the description to the Signer girl's Dragon. Ancient Fairy Dragon was not long, and it had no connection to seven lights. Something else had interfered.

Seeing the Director's interest, Jaeger hurried on. "Professor Frank reports that he was the first to come to. Ruka's guardian was next to her, and her twin brother was on the couch inside. Both were also unconscious. Having completed his mission, Professor Frank left before they came to," he concluded.

Godwin nodded faintly in acknowledgement, though his mind was furiously processing the implication. "What of her Signer abilities?" he asked absently.

Jaeger snickered under his breath. "Ye-es. Akutsu reports a definite, strong reaction. Not nearly the same level as at the stadium, but she's definitely a Signer."

Nodding to himself, Godwin said, "So our assassin was successful. However… the connection to the twin brother is not completely unforeseen, but run a full search on the guardian. He may be connected to the being that forced both Professor Frank and Ruka back to our world." As Jaeger acknowledged his orders, the director narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Professor Frank's conduct may have yielded results but his actions toward the Signer were reckless. Put him under guard and gather a full testimony so a proper punishment can be determined."

Jaeger snickered, making another note in the Solid Vision screen.

"What of the Black Rose Witch?" Godwin asked, moving on to the next order of business.

"That Sir Jill failed to draw a reaction during his duel, but there was a slight fluctuation when he attacked the Black Rose Witch directly," Jaeger summarized shortly.

Godwin's eyes narrowed. "Have we confirmed her identity?"

"Beyond reasonable doubt," Jaeger hedged slightly.

"As long as the Arcadia Movement controls her, our options remain limited," the Director decided. "It seems that her abilities are almost fully awakened, in any case. Keep her under surveillance for now."

Nodding, Jaeger scrolled down and cleared his throat. "Akutsu's team made several other observations. They reported a strange young man near their van when they left. They aren't sure, but he seemed to have possibly been eavesdropping."

"Enforce patrols and inspection. Alert me if anyone is found investigating what they shouldn't," Godwin ordered simply. "What else did they report?"

"They detected a faint resonance in the area," Jaeger said, glancing between two side-by-side screens. A resonance meant another Signer, and Godwin could already guess who it had been. "According to the reports from the Securtiy officers, Yusei Fudo was also present at that time. He and the witch may have come into contact."

"That is fine," Godwin dismissed. "Even if the Black Rose Witch allows herself to become swayed by him, that will only work in our favor. It was after this that he was taken into custody, then."

"Ye-es," Jaeger drew out. "So it seems."

The clown lapsed into silence as the Director closed his eyes to think. In a few short moments, they arrived at Security's main station, a tall, ominous building with unusually dark architecture, where Yusei Fudo was being detained until he could be transferred out.

Although the Public Security Maintenance Bureau overall controlled almost all aspects of life within Neo Domino, the Bureau was subdivided into numerous branches. Akutsu's Momentum reactor research and maintenance division was one branch, focused on supplying power to all of Neo Domino.

The enforcement branch was perhaps one of the largest and most prominent sub-divisions of the Bureau, generally referred to as Security. Its officers handled safety, one of the primary focuses of the Bureau, including patrols both in Neo Domino and in Satellite, as well as guarding the border between the two. As Akutsu was Head of Momentum, another loyal member of Yliaster was Head of Security.

He had been the one to flag the Signer's name and file to alert both him and the Director of any activity.

However, unlike Akutsu, whose job consisted almost exclusively of monitoring the Momentum reactor, the Head of Security had many varied responsibilities. Thus several Chiefs served under him, dividing the Security force and duties between them. Takasu had been one of them. Like him, most were also loyal to Yliaster, though not necessarily truly enlightened to its full nature and goals.

It was to one of these Chiefs that Godwin was going to speak about the fate of Yusei Fudo, the Head's right-hand man, Chief Grimo.

As Godwin stepped out, followed by Jaeger, Security officers surrounded them in a show of force, protection and brownnosing. Giving their presence no acknowledgement or attention, the Director walked assuredly to the desk of the Chief.

There was already someone there, as made obvious by the loud argument clearly audible from outside the room, but Godwin did not even pause. No matter what situation the Chief was dealing with, a visit from the Director was by far more important.

The Chief did not exactly have an office. Instead he had a desk above the surveillance stations, overlooking the status wall screen and coordinating operations. It was hardly a private area, but that didn't stop him from having loud arguments with obstinate subordinates. However, as Godwin walked into the command room, the shouting abruptly stopped as the source – a somewhat scruffy-looking officer – fell mute and stared. A moment of stunned silence, then both the Chief and his subordinate stood ramrod straight, saluting sharply.

"Director Godwin!" Chief Grimo exclaimed. Nervously, he rubbed at his neatly clipped beard and mustache, once dark brown like his hair, but now grayed to a much paler shade. A dark glare sent his errant officer scurrying out of the room, bowing low to Godwin and almost tripping over Jaeger. "I apologize for the disturbance. That was the officer that brought in the Signer. It would seem he holds a strong grudge."

"Perhaps a transfer would be in order then," Godwin suggested calmly. "Under what changes did he bring in Fudo?"

"Officially, disturbance of order and misconduct," Grimo replied, moving from behind his desk. He already knew that the Director would wish to speak with the Signer and wasted no time in leading the way to the detention block. "However, there is still the issue of trespassing from Satellite. His sentence was commuted due to circumstances, but he has not been deported. Also, he is a suspect in the break in at the storage. Surveillance was disabled but the only things taken were the deck and D-Wheel confiscated from him."

"Under what charges were those items confiscated? And were they recovered again?" the Director enquired calmly, mentally adding up and balancing the charges.

As they moved into the detention block, Grimo flashed his ID to the officers on duty. Rattling off the Signer's file, he led Godwin, with Jaeger trailing behind almost completely unnoticed, into an empty white room with only a metal table and a chair, both bolted to the floor, especially for meetings with prisoners. Easily catching the Director's meaning, the Chief nodded. "The deck was on him, but not the D-Wheel. The charges were of theft, unproven. They can be cleared, but it may take some time."

'How much time should he spend here?' was the unspoken question.

"Yes, Security is quite busy these days, with so many unsanctioned street duels, the growing misuse of D-Wheels and of course that Black Rose Witch… It may be weeks before those changes can be thoroughly investigated," Godwin agreed smoothly.

'Keep him two weeks, and then we'll see,' was the unspoken answer.

The door at the other side of the room slid open, and the Signer was escorted in. His jacket had been confiscated, and his hands were cuffed in front of him. He looked stoic but also rebellious in that way only Satellite duelists ever managed. The two officers on either side forced him into the rigid metal chair and chained his handcuffs to the table. Saluting the Chief and Director, they departed quickly and efficiently, the room falling into silence.

With a nod from Godwin, Grimo did the same, disappearing through the door behind them.

"You seem to run afoul with the law quite often," the Director pointed out casually. Yusei glared but said nothing as Godwin smiled falsely. "Keep in mind, this sort of reckless behavior reflects badly not only on you, but on the people close to you as well."

The Signer's expression darkened.

"However, this is unsurprising. After all, conditions in Satellite are abominable. The sort of trials that the residents undergo there are…" Godwin trailed off as the chains binding Yusei to the table jangled sharply. The Signer was glaring fully now, pulling at his restraints. He understood the implied threat easily.

As the Director exited, Jaeger shot Yusei a twisted grin and chuckled before following. Out of the building and into the limo, on to their next order of business, Godwin moved mechanically, deep in thought.

Even within his city, there were so many variables. Each of the Signers alone was a barely controlled force, but there were also so many outsiders involved, this generation more than any prior, it seemed to him. So many loose ends.

The girl's missing Dragon. Her brother. Her guardian. This powerful being that aided her.

The witch's organization, a problem of special difficulty for the Star Guardian and his Yliaster. And what of this stranger that had perhaps heard too much from the science team?

The King and his refusal to discuss his duel. Was it simple pride? That would fit Jack, but Godwin's tactician mind could not simply dismiss the situation. And what of this Edo Phoenix?

And better yet, what of the King's Satellite scum former friend? Jack still held his Dragon. He had numerous friends that could either serve as a convenient leash or as very inconvenient interference. And his abilities were the least awakened yet.

They still had time, it seemed before the Wicked Ones awoke fully. But that time may run out far too quickly yet…

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A/N: Haha, I swear. Once again, big thank you to **animeraven259**, **w nymph** and **Rashan-Rei**, who are like my holy three reviewer gods. Or something. I was actually really surprised to get a review from someone who wasn't them. That hasn't happened since… way back in chapter 4! And it's only happened twice before!

And now, a double burst of love and encouragement! So thanks to **Richen** and **Torokia**!

And that's why I'm posting this early. I've got nothing for next chapter though. :P

Ah. I had this chapter all written out, and then I realized that Yusei, despite being the main character, just wasn't getting enough action. I mean, ten chapters and he hadn't even gotten electrocuted once!

So, yeah, now he got caught by Security and Ushio after splitting up with Aki last chapter. He gets threatened a bit, and we get some stuff about Jack as set up for the next chapter, which is all Jack angst in a hospital. I thought it spiced things up nicely, given that this was essentially a lame recap chapter.

Anyway, yeah, Saiou. He and Ed lost a bunch of backstory points, including Saiou's split personality and Edo's father, and the entire thing with (the) D. It just… yeah. I couldn't work it in, like Ryo's Hell Kaiser phase. Though…it may come up yet.

Godwin is hard. Maybe I made him too weak? Hm.

Anyway, I'm kinda sad that no one wanted to take a shot at guessing the chapter naming scheme. I sorta wanted to write oneshot sidestories for people… I guess that's a really unfair question for dub-watchers. Hint: it's got to do with the story title.

Haha. Review, onegai?

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	11. should you ever lose the light

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Cross Game

11: should you ever lose the light (_and now, you've gone too far_)

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_Jack's eyes widened as he stared up at the monster in shock._

_"3400 attack points?" he demanded in disbelief._

_Smirking, __Phoenix__ held out one card from his hand. "With this, your time is up! I activate the magic card Cyclone to destroy your face down card." A fierce wind spun between the two duelists as he placed the card on his Duel Disk, almost forcing Jack to his knees. The Solid Vision of the card in front of the King burst into fragments._

_'How can a Solid Vision be this strong?' Jack wondered, lowering his arms. Since the start of the duel, the supposedly holographic images had been growing more and more... solid. But that wasn't possible..._

_"Now, Destiny Hero Dogma Guy! Attack his monster! Death Chronicle!" __Phoenix__ ordered, holding out his hand._

_This attack alone wouldn't be enough to wipe out his life points, but it would be an incredibly damaging hit, more so than anything in the duel that far. Jack braced himself as __Phoenix__'s monster completely destroyed his, but the backdraft of the attack hit him like a speeding truck. For an instance, his entire body lifted into the air, his boots just barely scrapping the floor. Then, the full force of the attack sent him flying backwards, crashing harshly into a decorative stand._

_He definitely heard something snap._

_As Jack tried to climb back to his feet, his right arm seared with agony, making him clench his teeth not to scream. Glaring across the field, he caught __Phoenix__'s eyes. The professional's expression was indecipherable, rigid and almost pained. But then he seemed to force himself to smirk, like a warped grimace._

_"I told you, you can't escape Destiny," __Phoenix__ commented, walking slowly toward Jack. With sheer force of will, the King pushed himself to one knee, holding his broken arm. He refused to face an enemy from the ground, even if kneeling wasn't much better._

_Phoenix__'s eyes narrowed, locked on Jack's arm. "Someone like you... can't possibly bear that kind of responsibility. You're just a vain fool who can't see beyond himself. So how," he bit out, "can you possibly save everyone? It's impossible."_

Just the memory alone was enough to make Jack snarl in fury. Speaking to several doctors nearby, Mikage shot him a worried look, but Jack ignored her. With his right arm in a cast and sling, his white coat draped over his shoulders, and a spectacular bruise across one cheek, he looked less than impressive, not at all like a King should. Still, he wasn't going to keep hiding at the hospital. He wanted out. He needed to think.

Of course, part of the reason Mikage was so concerned lay in Jack's continued obstinate refusal to provide an explanation for his injury. Phoenix had quickly called for help and explained that he and the King had just decided to have a little private duel, but there had been an accident and now Jack had a broken arm and several very impressive bruises.

Neither he nor Jack mentioned that the "accident" was caused by Phoenix's entirely too solid monsters.

_"Truly... without Godwin's protection, you're not worth much at all,"_ Phoenix had commented over his shoulder as he left to get security.

Jack didn't _care_ what some arrogant pretty boy thought... but that was also what Jack sometimes thought too. It was Godwin who had led him out of Satellite. It was Godwin who registered Jack as a citizen of Neo Domino. It was Godwin who made him King... was it?

'I am King!' Jack thought furiously. 'I was King before Godwin, and I will be King without him!'

_"A King of cockroaches," _Jaeger had laughed, looking contemptuously over the ruin that Jack had taken for his own.

'I am King... but...'

Red Demon's, Stardust. End of Storm... Meteor Stream.

'I lost to Yusei.'

_"You are a Signer, an individual chosen by the stars," _Godwin had said, bowing to him.

_"Someone like you can't possibly bear that kind of responsibility," _Phoenix had sneered.

Jack swallowed heavily, clenching his right - cast - hand. The resulting stab of pain pulled him away from his thoughts, and he took a deep steadying breath.

Finally pulling away from the doctors, Mikage approached him with a nervous smile. "Atlus-sama, you've been cleared to leave. I have your instructions here..." Jack shot her a sharp look that made the secretary stutter to a stop. "W-well, shall we go home, then?" she suggested, rallying bravely and leading the way to a private side exit. Really, he should have gone straight out, faced the press and made a brave statement about how the King will never be defeated by such a minor injury. How he would soon return to entertain the people.

But he wasn't up to that. All Jack would do now was glare, and Mikage, sensitive as always to his moods and needs, realized that.

A private car was waiting for them, and they were soon on their way to Jack's roof-top flat. The lobby of the building held a veritable jungle of flowers from his admirers and fans, but Jack ignored them and the doorman, leaving a flustered Mikage to arrange to have the gifts shipped away.

Taking the elevator to his flat, Jack moved inside the main compound. Beyond the panoramic window, he could see his private Riding Duel track. He wouldn't be using that for a while.

'A King who cannot fight. A King who can't defend his title,' Jack thought bitterly. 'What is a King like that worth?'

But he knew that he wouldn't be deposed before his recovery and return to the stadium. Godwin would simply put a freeze on title matches.

_"Without Godwin's protection, you're not worth much at all,"_ Phoenix sneered.

'A King who has already lost his title in truth,' he thought. 'I lost to Yusei.'

Injured, Jack would be completely unable to resolve that for weeks yet. But now he didn't feel nearly as eager to duel Yusei again. The idea of losing suddenly didn't seem as preposterous as it had.

'Yusei has gotten a lot stronger,' he thought absently, falling onto the couch and looking across the city. 'He came to Neo Domino... without sacrificing anything...' The thought left a bitter taste in Jack's mouth. Yusei was strong enough to do that... So, then... 'Did I sacrifice everything because I wasn't strong enough to protect it?'

He had pushed away those doubts for two years, but now they were coming back with a vengeance.

_"Without Godwin..."  
_  
'How strong am I?' Jack wondered disjointedly. He was tired, still a little medicated. His eyes were drooping shut. 'Yusei is strong now...'

_Yusei dropped to his hands and knees, completely defeated. He looked weak and almost fragile, and Jack felt a jolt of something at the sight of his old teammate like this. He had taken things the hardest..._

_"A duel isn't won with just cards," Jack could feel himself saying, the words coming without any thought. Pointing to his heart, he tried to convey something to Yusei as their eyes met again._

_He was glad that Yusei was looking up again. Look to the stars and reach for the world. Don't give up. You can be strong._

_Jack pointed to his heart. "This is the strength that matters the most. If you've got this strength, you can do anything," he felt himself saying, but that wasn't right at all. Oh, that's right. That was what he'd meant. These were the words he had never said._

_"How strong is your duelist's soul, King?" Phoenix asked, regarding Jack with that cold, pained look. His soul was struggling, cracking._

_"Jack," Yusei said. He had really become strong. His soul was so much stronger now. Strong enough to reach the stars without breaking in two. Not like Jack had._

_"Jack _Atlus-sama," Mikage's gentle voice dragged him back to the waking world. "Atlus-sama, I'm sorry to disturb you, but it's time for your medication."

"Drugs?" Jack demanded, a little less harsh than usual, still fuzzy from sleep.

"Prescription pain killers and bone-enhancement," Mikage explained, ever the informed, prepared, patient assistant. She held out several pills on a napkin and passed him a glass of water.

Swallowing the medicine, Jack stared out across the nightscape of Neo Domino. There were so many lights that there were no stars or shadows.

"We couldn't see stars in Satellite either," Jack murmured to himself. "Too much pollution."

"Altus-sama?" Mikage enquired worriedly, but he paid her no mind.

'No, we saw a star, didn't we? Stardust...' he thought.

Mikage was still looking at him, but her expression had changed a little. "Atlus-sama," she began hesitantly, but it wasn't her usual nervousness. This wasn't about Jack. Something else was weighing on her mind. "That person you dueled at the Stadium, the other Signer..." She had his full attention now, but she seemed more unsure than ever. "He was taken into custody by Security a few days ago during a minor riot in the Daimon Area."

"Yusei? In custody?" Jack repeated, frowning. Hadn't that fool only just gotten out of the Detention Center?

Mikage nodded stiffly, and Jack realized that perhaps she wasn't supposed to be telling him this. She probably expected him to suddenly run off to wherever Yusei was...

"There are some... complication with his file and the charges against him, so he is being held at the Security headquarters," she elaborated.

Jack sighed a little, closing his eyes. "I see," he said simply, almost feeling her surprise at his low-key answer. Reaching into the pocket of his coat, Jack pulled out his deck. Laying in down, he picked up the top card.

"Mikage," he said slowly but clearly. "There is something I need you to do."

"Atlus-sama?" she asked at once hesitant and hopeful. Jack rarely asked for anything, especially not so personally. But whatever he wanted was probably problematic…

"I need you to go get Yusei's deck," Jack told her in the same even tone.

Mikage's eyes widened in surprise, her eyebrows drawing together in a deep frown. "Atlus-sama, you want his deck?" she asked, with a strange catch in her voice.

"No. I don't want you to bring it here. Just go where it is and add this card to it," he instructed, holding out the card he was holding. Mikage looked between him and the card for a moment, clearly uncertain, but it was such a simple request and so harmless, and Jack had asked for it, from her personally…

She took it gently, with the utmost care, but didn't flip it over, instead simply nodding and tucking it away between her files. Jack would have liked to tell her to keep this from Godwin, who would know what the card was and what it meant, but that would have been too much. Mikage was still a loyal member of Yliaster, one of the most loyal, in fact.

As she departed, he smiled crookedly. 'She's the only one I can ask for anything, and I can't trust her at all,' he thought a little hollowly. 'How long before she stops seeing me as the King? Will she still be this loyal then?'

People were fickle, back-stabbing. He'd done it himself, after all.

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A/N: So, yeah, Jack-angst is apparently like Aki. It just doesn't work for me.

I've been wondering, who is your guys' favorite character? See, I clearly favor the Johan/Rua/Ruka group. We're even seeing more of them next chapter. I know Rashan-Rei asked for Aki (with Yusei?). Oh, and Torokei said … uh, they like Johan too. (Lucky, that. And yeah, I fail at seeing sarcasm.)

Anyway, I'm thinking of doing a set of short side stories set in the past of Cross Game, maybe how Johan dealt with chibi twins, or how Judai and Aki were like before their falling out. Unfortunately, I don't feel very inspired, so it might or might not happen…

Well, next chapter is Johan poking around, a weird cameo (or two), and Edo. (Yay…) Speaking of Edo, I was very annoyed to not be able to find a subbed version of his duels with Kaiser and Judai. His character is just a blank space for me. Probably for the best, that.

Actually, I have a question. How do you guys manage to get more hits for chapter 10 than for chapter 9? Did someone skip 9 and just go to 10? … It's just weird. Hm.

Please review!


	12. hourglass behind your heart

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Cross Game

12: hourglass behind your heart (_the changes time has wrought_)

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Normally, mornings were schoolwork time for Rua and Ruka, and Tenpei when he decided to join them. This practice was established by Johan when the twins started school, for very practical reasons. Simply put, if he caved in the morning, he would continue caving all day, and at the end of the day, nothing would have gotten done. So, Johan had simply set mornings as the time to study, period.

The three children all viewed this rule differently. Like most eleven year olds, Rua hated schoolwork and hated the morning rule. To him, mornings could be used far better for dueling, or watching TV, or just going outside. He tried to shirk the rule whenever possible.

Tenpei, being the studious type, saw nothing particularly wrong with studying in the morning, or in the afternoon, or any time at all. Knowing Rua as he did, Tenpei generally felt that the morning rule was perfectly reasonable and supported it tacitly.

Mature and practical Ruka actually liked getting all her work out of the way as early as possible. And she knew Rua too. In fact, she was generally the one enforcing the morning rule, making sure her brother wasn't hiding a comic book in his textbook or daydreaming aimlessly.

Thus, with two children and one adult making sure it was carried out, the morning rule was a firm reality at the Tops apartment.

That morning, however, the rule was being thoroughly trampled. All three children had settled around the living room coffee table, but instead of textbooks, around them were Duel Monster cards and manuals. As Tenpei watched and offered advice, Rua and Ruka faced each other in a strategy brainstorming session, their decks neatly spread out and piles of cards indicating sequences of past strategies.

The reason behind the total disregard for the morning rule was simple: at the moment, no one was interested in enforcing it.

Johan was deeper in the apartment, in his room, preparing to leave in just a little while. He had been vague, as per normal, about just what errands he was planning, but he had also been scatterbrained all morning, and the last several days overall since waking up after the Creepy Professor Incident.

On the opposite side of the scale, Ruka had been unusually focused on dueling since then, even completely ignoring schoolwork and chores to pour over her cards and face Rua and Tenpei. That, of course, made her tired, so she ended up doing nothing but dueling and sleeping, something that worried Johan, when he managed to notice.

These changes in his housemates both worried and annoyed Rua. He knew, in general terms, what had happened with the creepy Professor-guy. Ruka and Johan had explained that he had come not to help Ruka, but to awaken her abilities as a Signer. Both of them went to the place Ruka had gone before, the world of Duel Monster spirits. Ruka remembered going there the first time. Turns out she had promised to protect all the Duel Monster spirits and their world.

'That explains why she's so into dueling now,' Rua thought a little peevishly. 'But what's with Johan-nii? He's been really out of it since he woke up, and why was he knocked out in the first place anyway? Those two won't tell me anything!'

But he could seem to bring himself to just demand what was going on. It seemed like Johan and Ruka hadn't discussed it either, but they still knew. Well, he'd figure it out too! "Take this!" he declared, laying out three cards. "How about that combo, huh?"

Ruka frowned a little, peering over the cards and nodding to herself a little as she understood his strategy. Her brother smirked triumphantly as Tenpei praised him, "That's really good, Rua! That combo could really help you out of a tough spot!"

But after a moment, Ruka smiled and laid out two of her own cards. "This'll take care of that," she said leaning back a little in satisfaction. Looking over her counter, Rua opened his mouth in shock. She'd negated it completely!

It was always like this. His brilliant, genius, gifted sister could outdo him in everything. Everyone always paid more attention to her, praised her, fussed over her. Even Johan, who tried his best to look after both twins equally, favored Ruka because she could see spirits just like he did. He'd first come to meet them for her, and he'd stayed for her too.

Rua furiously poured over his remaining cards, flipping through counter strategies in his mind. Nothing seemed quite good enough. As the boy thought, Johan returned to the living room, coming over to the table to examine their set up.

"That's very well done, Luca," he complimented. Normally, both twins beamed at his praise, but Ruka only smiled a little reservedly. Looking between the two, Johan crouched beside Rua and pointed to two of his cards. "These two'll buy you some time, maybe to turn things around," he suggested.

"Oh," Rua muttered, glancing between the cards he held and the ones on the table. Why hadn't he seen that himself?

Johan and Tenpei exchanged worried and perplexed looks across the table, but neither was really sure what to do. Forcing a smile, Johan asked instead, "Do either of you have any cards you want? I'm stopping by the game shop today."

Pulling out a piece of paper, Ruka handed it to him. "These, please," she said as Johan glanced over the list, nodding thoughtfully.

"What about you, Lua?" he asked, tucking the paper away and turning to the other twin.

"I'm fine," Rua declared, sticking his nose in the air in a definite sulk. Sighing a little, Johan shrugged and bid them goodbye. As the door closed behind him, Rua methodically regrouped his cards and stood up. "I'm gonna go find Yusei," he declared, daring Ruka to object.

But his sister only blinked at him in surprise for a moment, then stood up as well. "I'm going with you," she said firmly.

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Lost in thought, Johan almost walked right past his destination. He hadn't been paying attention again and just barely stopped before walking through Ruby Carbuncle, who had been leading the way for him. Tittering a little, Ruby hopped onto his shoulder, and Johan gave her a thankful smile.

"I'd really be lost without you guys," he murmured, laughing a little at his own joke.

The building he had stopped in front of, his destination, was a small store painted in bright colors. 'New Turtle Game Shop' the sign up above read. Still, despite the bright colors, the store wasn't meant for children (ordinary children anyway). There were no posters in the windows advertising the latest game and the interior was plain.

"Hello?" Johan called, stepping inside. The display cases lining the walls were filled with strange trinkets and things that looked distinctly antique. There was no one at the counter opposite the door. Stepping up to it, Johan leaned over to peer into the doorway to the back room.

"Coming!" a woman's voice called out a little peevishly. As the speaker appeared, Johan waved to her and leaned back again.

"Hi, Rebecca," he greeted cheerfully. "How's business?"

Rebecca, a petite blonde woman, adjusted her glasses and smiled as well. "Eh, so-so. You're lucky, some big-wig made an appointment today. Otherwise, I wouldn't have even bothered opening the store," she groused. Johan smiled good-naturedly, knowing she didn't mean it. Rebecca opened the store religiously, six days a week, whenever she was in Neo Domino. Once, she had confided that it was "for someone else". "Back for more?" she asked instead. "How did the last batch go over?"

"They loved them. Luca especially like the Kurribon, just like you thought," Johan said, rummaging in his pocket. Pulling out a folded piece of paper, he slid it over the counter. "They did ask for these. Luca's restructuring very seriously right now," he explained as Rebecca looked over the list, nodding to herself. "I'd like to get something for Lua too, though." Since he'd gotten almost all the cards for Rua's deck here, Rebecca knew quite well what would be good for the older twin.

Putting down the list, Rebecca said, "Well, some of these I've got here, but a few will take a while to get. I've got some of the D-former series too. But," she regarded Johan thoughtfully, "there's something else, right?"

For a moment, Johan didn't answer. "Yes," he finally admitted. "I need to find a card."

Reading his hesitation, Rebecca smirked. "If it's out there, I'll find it," she boasted. "Don't tell me you're doubting my skills now?"

"Ancient Fairy Dragon," Johan said carefully, watching her reaction.

Rebecca only nodded thoughtfully. "That sounds sort of familiar," she muttered. "It's probably an exclusive, right? Hm..." Still deep in thought, the blonde absently picked up Johan's list and wandered away into the back room. Johan sighed a little.

On his shoulder, Ruby chirped. "Yeah, maybe," Johan agreed, frowning a little. "She _does_ know a lot about ancient legends... But I don't want to get her involved. And she'd probably want to know why _I'm_ interested." Flicking her tail, Ruby Carbuncle ran across the duelist's shoulders and hopped onto the counter. Inside was a fragment of a tablet from some ancient civilization, showing something that looked almost like a Shadow Ghoul. Johan sighed as his partner chirped again, more forcefully. "Alright," he agreed, "I'll ask her, but only a little..."

Johan turned in surprise as the bell at the door jingled. Even though Rebecca had said someone was coming, he still hadn't expected a visitor in the quiet shop. 'Is this that bigwig?' he wondered regarding the young man who stepped through the door and made his way to the counter.

He was tall and seemed well toned, under his neat business suit. Awfully young for a business man too, not much older than Johan himself, the duelist estimated. His red-brown hair was short and messy and his earrings made Johan think of a Buddha statue he'd seen once. He had a deck.

Standing beside Johan, the stranger offered a controlled smile. His glasses glinted a little strangely as he tilted his head down to regard the shorter duelist. "Is the owner of this store available?" he asked amiably.

"Yeah," Johan replied, giving him a friendly smile. "She's just in the back."

The business man nodded and turned his attention to the shop, regarding the antiques on display thoughtfully. Finally, his eyes stopped on the small clear frame set on the counter, almost like a photograph. That's what Johan had assumed the first time he came to the shop, but he knew differently now. Inside was a Duel Monster card, though apparently not one meant for dueling. There were no points or effects on it, not even a type, only a picture of a pretty young girl with white wings and a title - 'Ties of Friendship'.

As the business man's eyes narrowed a little, Johan wondered what he thought of that.

"Have you been to Neo Domino before?" Johan asked, his natural friendliness getting the better of him as they waited.

The businessman regarded him thoughtfully for a moment, then shook his head with a faint smile. "Unfortunately not. Your city is quite unique in its self-sufficiency, and it has never shown interest in my branch of business."

"Oh? What do you do?" Johan wondered.

"Petroleum and heavy chemicals, mostly. Though we deal in information as well," the businessman explained.

Johan nodded. 'That makes sense. With the Momentum reactor and the recycling through Satellite, Neo Domino wouldn't really have much of a market for those things,' he thought.

"It seems like we're becoming more open now, though," Johan noted instead. "After all, there's all that talk of an event with the GENEX Circuit. Are you here for that?"

"I am surprised you are aware of that. The negotiations are supposed to still be top-secret," the business man remarked good-naturedly. "But yes, I will be attending that. For now, however, I am here on a more personal matter." He gave Johan another long look, making him suddenly feel a little concerned. "You are a duelist, I imagine," the businessman commented with a somewhat secretive smile. "And quite well-informed about the going-ons of this lovely city. I wonder, have you met anyone with an Elemental Hero deck recently?"

Johan pretended to think for a moment, not really sure whether he should admit he hadn't dueled much of anyone, and certainly not legally, for quite a while. The only E-Hero deck he'd dueled was a long time ago anyway.

"Not that I can think of," he said instead. "And I haven't seen any deck like that in the title matches either."

The businessman nodded, apparently not at all surprised. "Then, would you know where duelists would go to train here?" he asked.

"There are several public dueling arenas," Johan answered automatically. Then, narrowing his eyes a little, he added, "But I doubt that's what you're asking. Well, many street duelists gather in the less well-off areas, especially Daimon. That's probably where you'd find someone who wanted to train off the radar."

"Yes, that is what I had heard as well," the business man agreed, nodding and falling silent. His expression was still a little too knowing for Johan's taste.

Rebecca soon appeared out of the back room, holding several cards and a slightly battered catalogue. Seeing the new customer, she nodded and said, "I'll be with you in a moment, Mr. Garam." Turning to Johan, she laid out the cards on the counted in front of him. "I don't have a few for Ruka, but I can order those. They'll be here within a week. There are a few D-Formers too…" she muttered, flipping through the catalogue.

Johan nodded, selecting most of the cards and leaving a few aside, his face brightening at one in particular. "Then, I'll take these and order the rest," he told Rebecca.

"Mm-hm," Rebecca hummed, finding the right page and turning the catalogue to Johan. "Here's that other card. … There isn't much," she admitted, pointing out the entry for Ancient Fairy Dragon. "I'll look into it though."

"Thanks," Johan smiled and, gathering his cards, departed. As he opened the door, he could hear Rebecca saying, "These weren't easy to get. The set's fallen out of favor…" before the ringing of the bell cut her off.

Appearing again on his shoulder, Ruby twittered in mild annoyance. "I know," he murmured to her, "but I couldn't talk with that guy there. I'll ask her when I pick up the rest of Luca's cards."

Stopping for a moment, Johan looked around. He could see the Bureau's tower in the distance and tried to orient himself against it. Tilting her head to the side, Ruby chirped questioningly.

"I thought of something when I was talking to that guy," Johan replied. "Neo Domino City… It's a truly unique place. But you remember when we first came here, we were really shocked. There was that dark oppressive feeling everywhere, but especially closer to Satellite. I almost felt sick at first. It was already fading, but… something really dark had happened here once…"

Johan trailed off, remembering his first visit. Afterwards, he had been too concerned about Ruka to care, and then he had just gotten used to it, but there had definitely been something wrong back then. He had thought back then that there was definitely something _un_natural about the natural disaster that split the old Domino City into Neo Domino and Satellite.

"The Ancient Fairy Dragon tried to tell me that something was coming after the Signers, and she didn't mean whoever wants to use their powers for their own gain. She meant something evil… an ancient enemy." Johan swallowed heavily. The Dragon hadn't been able to communicate with him well, but he had understood her feelings. That feeling of darkness and evil… "It's almost the same as back then," he muttered.

Rubbing against his cheek comfortingly, Ruby Carbuncle cooed. Johan gave her a grateful smile.

"I want to look into that too," he explained, getting back to the point of their conversation. "So I was thinking of starting at the Neo Domino History Museum. Now, if I could just remember how to get there…"

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"See the sights, he says. Meet an old acquaintance, he says," Edo grumbled, glaring peevishly at a very innocent display about Battle City. "Hmph. Sure, if boredom is an old acquaintance."

They had been in this lousy town for days, and they seemed set to stay much longer. On their last meeting, Saiou had given Edo a ray of hope, saying, _"It seems that plans for an event will be announced next week at the premier of the movie 'Road of the King'. Until then, here."_ And then, he'd given Edo a tourist guide.

If they hadn't been such good friends, Edo would have thrown it at his head.

Ever helpful, Saiou had also bookmarked several places he thought Edo might find interesting, including the Neo Domino History Museum, which was Edo's current location. It wasn't _bad_ per se, but it was hardly entertaining. The only parts worth noting were the ones about the pre-disaster Domino City, which was really the birthplace of dueling as a world phenomenon and of several legendary duelists, and the ones about Godwin and his Public Security Maintenance Bureau. Of course, they were all heavily censored.

Grumbling, Edo adjusted his tinted sunglasses and looked around at the other patrons. There were plenty of obvious tourists, pointing and taking pictures. There were also plenty of children, some diligently taking notes, some goofing off instead.

One of the little brats tripped nearby. Duel Monster cards scattered around him and his eyes teared up. Edo thought he was about to start wailing, but a young man kneeled next to the boy, patting him on the shoulder and murmuring something calming. As the boy sniffled and nodded, the young man helped him gather his cards, stopping on one and studying it for a moment.

The boy beamed as the young man said something and handed him the card. Clutching it close, he stumbled to his feet and nodded eagerly before running off to his parents. Edo had been watching the two with mild disinterest, but as the young man turned to wave to the departing boy, the pro saw his profile and stared.

'An old acquaintance…' Edo thought, mentally comparing that face to another he hadn't seen in years. 'I can't believe it…'

But with every moment, Edo grew more and more sure. Coming up behind the young man, he steeled himself and asked, "So, is his card's spirit watching over him?"

Caught completely off guard, the young man spun around, his expression defensive at first, then shifting to shock and recognition. Edo smiled faintly. Yes, this was definitely him. That hair, those eyes, and those expressions were unmistakable.

"It's been awhile, Andersen," Edo commented, taking in how the other had changed. Not much really, though he was definitely older. At least his shirt wasn't frilly anymore.

Andersen smiled, still as open and friendly as ever. "It has," he agreed full-heartedly. "You've made quite the name for yourself. I've been seeing you a lot on TV. You look good."

'Look good? As in, physically? Or my dueling? Or…' Edo wondered. Even though Andersen had always seemed open and straightforward, his words tended to hint at double meaning more often than not.

"Well, thank you," he agreed a little smugly. "I like to think I've improved since then."

Andersen's smile deepened. "You have. You've grown up well," he said. "Just as modest as ever too!"

Both of them laughed, leaning against a display of Kaiba in his teenage years, proudly wearing an early Duel Disk model. "So what brings you to Neo Domino? That rumored GENEX Circuit event, right?" Andersen asked almost rhetorically.

Edo nodded. "That's right. Though, it's taking forever to work out," he replied shrugging. "But, maybe I'll be dueling here soon enough."

"Really? I'll definitely have to see that," Andersen said easily. "I'm really impressed that those two brothers managed to create an entirely new Pro-Circuit like that. It's a pretty cut-throat business. I hope it goes well."

Nodding, Edo tried to hide his reflexive frown. He had almost forgotten Andersen's uncanny ability to bring up the most uncomfortable topic completely casually, as if by accident. It probably was an accident. 'He really disliked the way things are run in the professional leagues,' Edo remembered. 'Wasn't that why he left? Of course he'd notice the Marufuji brothers and their attempts to change things.'

"Yeah, they're persistent," Edo agreed instead. "Maybe you should apply to have a match while they're here." At Andersen's surprised look, he smirked. "I'm not really supposed to tell you this, but those two insisted that anyone be able to enter their event with only minimal screening. It's supposed to be exhibition for the talent of the city, but they're actually hoping to recruit. Anyone who wins three matches during the event will be given free entry into the circuit. It could be fun," he suggested, raising an eyebrow.

Andersen smiled, but there was something a little uncomfortable about it. 'Is he worried about his skills?' Edo wondered. 'But it sounds like he's been keeping up with things, as a civilian…'

Well, that gave him an excuse to kill two birds with one stone. "How about a warm up match?" Edo asked.

"With you?" Andersen asked, his eyes widening in surprise. He tried to laugh off the suggestion. "Come on, Edo, I've seen your duels! That wouldn't a warm up, most like a life-or-death struggle!"

"You owe me a rematch," Edo reminded him. "I have to even the score."

Andersen smiled a little crookedly and tilted an eyebrow. "Isn't that a bit cheap? I'm not really in the same league as you."

Laughing at the lame pun, Edo grinned almost predatorily. "So, you've seen through my plan," he replied. "Well, I want to restore my perfect record at any cost!"

"It wouldn't go on your official record anyway," Andersen pointed out, but they both knew that wasn't the point anyway. "And will your manager really allow that?"

"Saiou's understanding," Edo countered. "And like you said, if it's not on my record, it's not like he can complain."

Actually, he had to wonder why Andersen was so against this. He had always enjoyed dueling and cared far less about victory or pride than most other duelists. The young man next to him seemed to waver for a moment, his eyes drifting a little.

"I don't have my deck with me," Andersen gave in suddenly, oddly seeming almost relieved about something. "We'll have to go back home first. Will your busy schedule allow that?"

Edo chuckled, smirking. "Well, you'll make it worth my time, right?"

Even years ago, even when they first met, not under the very best conditions, Andersen had been easy to talk to. He seemed to refuse to turn anything into a confrontation, sidestepping Edo's sometimes pointed barbs and even ignoring outright insults. He seemed to be able to make casual friends with anyone who didn't outright hate him, and probably even some of those.

That hadn't changed, it seemed. The trip back to his home passed quickly as he chatted amiably with Edo about life in the Pro-Leagues, Saiou as a manager, Edo's opponents, and how people they had known had changed. Another thing that hadn't changed was Andersen's exceptional skill to say as little about himself as possible while still not seeming secretive at all.

Honestly, he could have warned Edo.

Edo wasn't surprised, per se, that Andersen lived in what had to be one of the most expensive buildings in all of Neo Domino. Thinking about it logically, even his winnings back from his pro days wouldn't have lasted this long, in this kind of luxury, but then, Andersen probably had a job, right? It wasn't surprising.

He just hadn't expected Andersen to have… roommates.

"Lua! Luca! I'm back!" Andersen called, stepping into the flat. Almost immediately, two children appeared, returning his greeting (a little guiltily?) and staring at Edo. "This is an old friend of mine, Edo Phoenix," Andersen explained. "Edo, these are Lua," the boy, "and Luca," the girl. They seemed to be fraternal twins, very similar in appearance and clothing.

"Andersen… You had kids?" Edo asked slowly, staring at the children in return.

To his surprise, Andersen suddenly laughed loudly, even going so far as to bend over and clutch his stomach. The brats exchanged glances.

"Edo… Just how many years do you think it's been?" Andersen asked, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. "Lua and Luca are eleven."

Edo flushed faintly. Yeah, that didn't add up at all. But how was he supposed to know how old the brats were.

"We're just living together," Andersen explained, still smiling far too widely. "Their parents are abroad because of work, so they're letting me stay here for a minimal rent as long as I look after the twins."

"You're a live-in babysitter?" Edo asked a little skeptically. "Well, you always did like kids…"

"No one's ever thought Johan-nii was our _father_ before," the boy butted in. "He doesn't look that old, does he?"

Edo twitched a little. It had been a stupid mistake, but still. "Get your deck," he ordered Andersen instead, refusing to acknowledge the brat. "You promised me a duel."

Andersen only laughed. "Alright! You still as impatient too…"

"I don't suppose you have a Duel Disk I could borrow," Edo commented, frowning a little. "Saiou wouldn't let me take mine. At least I still have my deck…"

But as he pulled out his cards, Edo realized that he'd made a mistake. This wasn't his normal deck; Saiou had never given that one back after he came to Neo Domino. This was still their Destiny deck, the one he'd used on the King.

'I-I can't risk…'

Looking up quickly, mind already scrambling for some excuse, Edo stopped seeing the look on Andersen's face. It wasn't quite shock, but there was surprise and something else as the other duelist stared at his cards, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Edo, that deck…" Andersen trailed off.

'He can see the psychic power Saiou imbued in the cards? Or is there something about the card spirits?' Edo wondered.

"Sorry, but it seems like we won't be able to duel after all," he said, quickly putting the deck away again. "I've got to go."

Without waiting for an answer, he rushed out. Andersen called after him, but really, Edo was a talented athlete too. And Andersen had always been fond of giving him the space to think…

-

-

A/N: Okay, what? Those little brats just ran off! I never planned that! (Well, joke's on them. Yusei's still at the police station. Hahaha…) Then again, I originally planned for Edo and Johan to be at odds over Johan quitting dueling and leaving Edo without a rematch for years, but when they argued it sounded like a reversed, slightly more affable version of Judai and Aki… And it didn't really sit well with Edo's CG character. So instead, they're all buddy-buddy? Hm. Am I secretly Superiorshipping? … I don't like this at all.

So yeah, there are _two_ weird cameos. First is Rebecca. Somehow (?) she's built a new Kame Game shop in Neo Domino (though she changed the name into English translation) and is now running it. However, she's into history and antiques, so it sells antique games and stuff linked to Duel Monster legends… and cards. Yeah. She's not a plot character at all, but rather a plot device. Why is _she_ running the store? How did that happen? … That's not going to be explained. Probably.

This is actually part of a trend. There are gonna be a lot of characters from the DOMA/Waking the Dragons arc. (Actually, Grimo is one too!) Not that they're gonna get much backstory. Probably.

The second in Amon Garam. Ah, he'll be important only for a bit, to cause problems.

I managed to confuse myself with the timeline, so I'll write it down too.

This chapter (12) is about a week after Professor Frank (07), and that was a day or two before Godwin (10). (Which was less than a day after 9.) 11 is somewhere between there, probably only about a day after 10. So this is about five or so days after 11, where Mikage says that Jack will need the cast for two-three weeks. The "Road of the King" premier is probably within a few days of this and will be chapter 15. So, it'll be about a week and a half before Jack gets his cast off, and a week or so before Yusei gets out of jail. Yup.

Soon, we start the GENEX Circuit business for real (which means more Aki, I guess). I really need to see episode 36. There's Arcadia Movement in it!

PS: I'm so proud of myself for having one the three longest stories in the 5Ds section…


	13. won't return

-

-

Cross Game

13: won't return (_indelible mark_)

-

-

"Edo!" Johan called one last time as the pro duelist disappeared down the stairs. Sighing, he shook his head and closed the door. There wasn't any point in chasing after Edo and maybe he'd be more willing to talk once he calmed down. If he really was here for the GENEX event, he'd be staying in Neo Domino for a while.

'But just what was that?' Johan wondered. 'Those cards had some kind of aura. Though, it wasn't dark… just, strong…'

"Johan-nii?" Ruka called carefully. "Is everything alright?"

Turning to the twins, Johan smiled reassuringly. 'Did she see it?' he thought, but it didn't seem that way. "Everything's fine. He just had something he needs to do, that's all. Here," changing the subject quickly, he pulled out the cards he had gotten from Rebecca, "I got some of the cards you wanted. And, here's one for Lua, too."

Ruka nodded thoughtfully as she took the cards and thanked Johan the way she'd been taught. Her brother looked surprised for a moment before reaching excitedly for the card Johan held out to him.

"Wow… Awesome!" he exclaimed, holding it up, then added as a second thought, "Thanks, Johan-nii!"

Johan smiled and patted both of them on the head before heading deeper into the flat. Still a little preoccupied with his thoughts, he completely missed the frantic guilty look the twins exchanged behind his back.

"Wa-wait, Johan-nii!" Rua called, running after the older duelist. "There's…"

The boy almost crashed as Johan stopped abruptly, staring at the figure sitting at their dining table.

"…Someone here," Rua concluded sheepishly.

Perched on the table next to their guest, Cobalt Eagle lifted one wing in greeting. "Yo!" the spirit squawked.

"Judai," Johan said, a little surprised. "Hello. Did Cobalt Eagle bring you?"

The other duelist turned slowly, having been lost in his own thoughts. "Um, no…" he replied half-heartedly. "I saw the kids in Daimon. Remembered that the boy had been with you the first time…" Judai explained, gesturing vaguely and completely missing the twins' frantic gestures.

"Daimon?" Johan repeated, his eyes narrowing. The twins gulped.

"Uh, yeah!" Rua interrupted quickly. "I remembered he knew the witch lady, and I thought he might know where Yusei was, so I asked him, and then this guy challenged me, and he took my best card, and then Judai dueled him and took back my card, and then we decided to take him home!" The boy nodded to himself, confirming this explanation.

Johan stared at him for a moment, sorting through everything. 'So they were looking for Yusei?' he thought. He glanced up at Cobalt Eagle, who flapped his wings and looked toward the kitchen meaningfully before disappearing.

Sighing, Johan said, "Alright then. How about I make us all something to eat? You're all hungry."

Rua let out a sigh of relief, thinking that he'd managed to avoid a scolding and punishment, but Ruka shot Johan a questioning look. She seemed concerned about something. At the table, Judai brightened a little at the mention of food, giving Johan a thankful smile.

Exchanging his vest for an apron (something he'd originally disdained but had quickly learned the utility of) and rolling up his sleeves, Johan studied the contents of their refrigerator. Lulling the kids into a false sense of security wasn't really his sort of thing, so he wanted to give them a nice warning that their punishment was still forthcoming. A smørrebrød would do well. 'I'll need some bread, fish, salad, cucumber, shrimps… maybe some roe…' he thought.

As Johan laid out the ingredients, Cobalt Eagle reappeared, perching on a countertop. "So what happened? You didn't tell me they'd left," Johan said.

"You worry too much about them," Cobalt Eagle countered. "They were fine. It's not like this is the first time they've gone to Daimon…" The spirit trailed off a little as Johan frowned and sighed. "Anyway, nothing much happened to them, but…"

"Something happened with Judai," Johan guessed. "That person Lua said dueled him?"

Cobalt Eagle nodded. "Yeah… Well, it's was kind of like Rua said," Cobalt Eagle began, "I was out patrolling like usual when I saw the kids. Nothing really happened for while, until after they asked Judai if he'd seen Yusei. He said he hadn't seen him since that mob was put down about a week back. It was getting toward afternoon, and they didn't have any leads, so that friend of theirs left to go home, and Ruka thought they should head back too, before you got back."

The spirit sighed, ruffling his wings a little. Pausing in the middle of cutting up the tomatoes, Johan gave him a sidelong glance.

"Lua ran off, didn't he?" Johan guessed, knowing well the 'Rua did something stupid again' look Cobalt Eagle wore.

"Yeah. Told Ruka to stay with Judai and ran off by himself," the Gem Beast confirmed. "Of course, we all went after him... but, er, we lost him in the crowd." Cobalt Eagle paused, growing more serious. "A man told Rua that he knew where Yusei is, but he'd only tell him if Rua won a duel with an ante rule."

"And Rua lost," Johan sighed.

Cobalt Eagle nodded. "By the time Judai and Ruka got there, he lost and the other duelist took his rarest card. That's where the real trouble started. Judai agreed to duel to get Rua's card back... but I think that's what that guy wanted. He said he was Kinomiya Kodo, the Duel Profiler. Seems like he'd been preparing to duel Judai all along."

"He used Rua to force Judai into a duel," Johan surmised, frowning now. "With the ante rule?"

"Yeah. That Profiler said he'd been hired because someone wanted the rarest card Judai has..." Cobalt Eagle trailed off for a moment, not really sure how to proceed. It was obvious Johan liked Judai, but… Well, he'd just tell it how it happened and let Johan make his own judgment. "He said it was better for Judai to get rid of that card anyway, since he'd tried to do it before."

Catching the shift in his spirit, Johan turned his full attention to Cobalt Eagle. "Judai tried to get rid of his rarest card before? But why?"

Cobalt Eagle shifted uncomfortably. "Kinomiya went on about it for while. He said... when Judai was a kid, the people he dueled kept passing out or hallucinating, and eventually someone even fell into a coma. No one was really sure what was going on, but Judai insisted it was because of a card's spirit..."

'A spirit?' Johan thought, his brows furrowing. 'A spirit can do that? …That spirit, Yubel?'

"So he had the card locked away," Cobalt Eagle sighed heavily. "But since it was such a rare card, it got stolen. No one could track it down. Judai... started having nightmares about that card. His parents took him to counselors and psychologists, but it didn't help and one day, he ran away."

Cobalt Eagle paused again, obviously not at all comfortable with telling this story. It felt wrong finding out something that was obviously so private so casually. 'Dragging things out like that just for the psychological impact... I hate that kind of dueling,' Johan thought unhappily.

"Judai went to where his spirit was," Johan guessed, sighing. 'That's what I'd do too...'

Cobalt Eagle nodded. "When the police found him, he had it back. They found the people that stole it too, but... well, they didn't wake up for a long time."

"It sounds like a very powerful spirit," Johan pointed out as neutrally as possible. "I guess I can see how someone would want that card." Because some people were greedy and stupid like that.

"That's not the end of it though," the Gem Beast muttered. "That Kinomiya guy said that people who dueled Judai after that sometimes still got hurt... So he said it would be better if Judai got rid of that card altogether. If he just lost. Kinomiya even said he'd return Rua's card anyway, since he didn't have any use for it."

"I see," Johan said, moving to pull out some plates and placing the complete open sandwiches on to a tray. "No wonder Judai's depressed. People like that aren't duelists at all."

Cobalt Eagle squawked as Johan headed out of the kitchen, back to the dining room. "W-ha? Johan? Don't you want to know how it ended?"

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" Johan commented, looking over his shoulder. "Yubel is his partner. Judai wouldn't just give her up, just like I wouldn't give up any of you." He looked away. "If he'd really wanted to get rid of her, he would have torn up her card or burned it."

Fading out of sight, Cobalt Eagle shook his head. Sometimes, Johan was just too optimistic. "Judai _did_ win but… then he laughed and said, 'Too bad for you, that card's not in my deck anyway.' You two might not be as alike as you think…"

-

-

Johan was frowning when he returned from the kitchen, but he quickly put on a smile, placing some very questionable-looking dishes on the table. It looked kind of like a salad, but also kind of like a sandwich, and it was obviously not native. Rua gulped, understanding the message. He wasn't nearly off the hook for his little trip. In fact, Johan was probably even more angry now that Cobalt Eagle had told him the whole story.

Hadn't Johan always told him not to challenge strange people and, more importantly, never to accept ante rule duels? _"Your cards are your partners, Lua,"_ he'd always say. _"You wouldn't gamble Luca into slavery, and you shouldn't wage your cards either."  
_  
'I'm so screwed,' Rua thought, his stomach turning equally at the prospect and at the sight of Johan's 'special' cuisine.

Far more polite than her brother and already contrite, Ruka meekly took a serving and poked at it. Well, this was what they got... Shooting a sidelong look at their guest, she only hoped the weird food wouldn't depress him even more.

But that looked to be the furthest from Judai's mind. In fact, he had cheered up incredibly at the mere sight of something edible, strange foreign dish or not. Beaming at his host and barely taking the time to thank him for the food, Judai took the largest portion and _inhaled_ half of it.

"Hey, it's got shrimp!" he exclaimed happily around a mouthful.

"That's right!" Johan positively beamed, settling down in the chair next to Judai, across from Ruka. "I hope it's okay with you."

"I's great!" Judai nodded enthusiastically, easily clearing his plate and reaching for more. "It's kinda different, but really good! Ah, I was so hungry..."

"You should stay for dinner!" Rua suggested rather forcefully, pushing away his own plate, toward Judai in hopes that the other duelist would clean it for him. "And for the night!"

'Does he think putting it off will make Johan-nii go easy on us?' Ruka wondered, carefully separating the ingredients in her portion. There wasn't anything wrong with it, for the most part, just some bread and meat and vegetables... But all together, it still tasted strange.

"That's a good idea," Johan agreed, surprising the twins.

'Wow, I guess he's really flattered that someone liked his cooking,' the children thought simultaneously.

As Judai turned to Johan in surprise, his cheeks puffed out by another mouthful, the twin's guardian added, "You got Rua's card back, after all. We have to thank you properly!"

"It was no big deal," Judai replied, his mood dropping a little. "That guy..."

"Was a complete bas-!" Rua cut in, only to be cut off by a glare from Johan. "Basket case," he substituted quickly.

"People like that have no right to call themselves duelists," Johan agreed. "Now, what would you like for dinner?"

-

-

"You should take a bath," Johan decided as he supervised Ruka and Rua clearing away the dinner dishes, eyeing Judai and wrinkling his nose. "I'll have your clothes washed too."

"Eh?" Judai looked up surprise from where he had been rubbing his bulging, blessedly full stomach in blissful contentment. He sniffed at himself. "You think?"

"Yes," Johan nodded firmly. Morbid curiosity made him want to ask when exactly was the last time Judai washed himself or his clothes, but that would have frankly been a little too much like nagging. More or less raising two children might have taught Johan responsibility and cleanliness and the like, but there were limits. "I'm absolutely sure," he affirmed instead. "Come one, you're our guest!"

"Yeah, I guess I will," Judai agreed, having himself tried to remember the last time he'd had a real bath (being out in the rain didn't count; neither did falling in a river). "Thanks."

Johan beamed. "Just leave your clothes on the counter. They'll be clean by morning, and I'll bring you something else to wear for the night," he instructed. Once their guest had disappeared around a corner, he turned to the twins. "Bed, now," he instructed with equal skill.

"But it's only-!" Rua began to protest, only to be stopped short by the combined force of Johan's stare and Ruka's heel meeting his foot.

"Good night, Johan-nii," Ruka murmured instead, dragging her brother away.

As he rummaged around for some spare clothing, Amethyst Cat appeared next to Johan, fixing him with a piercing stare. "Johan, are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked.

"What is?" her duelist replied guilelessly, pulling out a set of sweat pants and T-shirt.

"Letting him stay like this," Amethyst Cat answered. "Not to mention whatever you're planning. You might get hurt."

"It'll be fine," Johan assured her.

Moving down the hall and to the bathroom, he knocked on the door and announced out, "I'm coming in!" Like everything else in the twins' flat, it was a huge room. Steamed up as it was, he could barely see two feet, much less all the way across. But Judai's clothes were thrown somewhat haphazardly across the counter next to the door, and Johan quickly swapped them for the new set. "I brought you the clothes," he called into the fog, turning to go.

"Thanks!" came Judai's disembodied voice.

Instead of sending them to the laundry service right away, Johan settled in the living room and began to fish through Judai's pockets, much in the same way he'd gone through Yusei's. Like Yusei, Judai didn't seem to carry much. If he had any ID, it was in his knapsack, but Johan wasn't looking for that anyway.

Pulling out Judai's deck, he concentrated for a moment before nodding to himself and setting the cards aside. It took a few more moments before he found the other thing he was looking for – a single card tucked carefully away in an inner pocket.

"Hello, Yubel," Johan murmured, pulling it out and looking at the image.

Slowly, the spirit appeared in front of him, her mismatched regarding him a little distrustfully. "What are you doing?" Yubel asked, managing with only the barest hint of suspicion.

"You'll see!" he hummed in reply, picking up Judai's clothes and heading to the entryway. There, Johan quickly deposited the clothing in the hamper and commed the lobby. "Good evening!" he called cheerfully, receiving an almost equally cheery response. "I need some laundry by tomorrow. Yes, I'll leave it in the same place as always. Thank you!"

Same place as always just meant outside the door, at the elevator landing, which Johan promptly did. With that out of the way, he went back inside and pulled out his own deck and Duel Disk. His Gem Beasts positively vibrated with tension and displeasure, and Yubel's transparent form followed him rather distrustfully.

Johan ignored the lot of them. So what if he didn't really know what he was doing? He'd figure it out.

-

-

Coming out of the shower, toweling his hair dry and dressed in the loaned clothes, Judai sighed in contentment. Fed, washed and very warm, he could almost forget the unpleasantness of the afternoon and the memories it dragged up.

He found Johan in the living room, sitting alone on the couch. Although, Judai strongly suspected he hadn't been alone for long. "Hey," he greeted his host. "Thanks again. I really needed that."

"You're welcome," Johan replied easily. "I sent Luca and Lua off to bed, but I doubt they're really sleeping. Thanks again for looking after them today."

Plopping on the couch next to him, Judai chuckled awkwardly. "It's no big deal. They're the ones who found me, and I couldn't just let that guy take off with Rua's card… Anyway, it's probably because of me that he challenged Rua in the first place."

Thinking about the "profiler" made Judai frown a little, something that Johan didn't miss. "Don't worry too much about that guy," he suggested. "Though, it's got to be hard having people go after your partner like that."

"Um… yeah," Judai agreed half-heartedly. 'Partner,' he thought a little sadly. Yubel had been avoiding him again, and he couldn't really blame her. Sometimes it seemed like they'd never be able to fix things between them. Noticing that Johan was still looking at him with concern, Judai forced a smile and quickly tried to change the subject. "Have you ever had anything like that happen? I mean, I've never heard of any cards like Sapphire Pegasus or Cobalt Eagle. They must be pretty rare!"

Johan beamed in reply, either accepting the distraction or playing along. "Not really anything like that, though the Gem Beasts are all one of a kind," he said. Pausing, he looked at Judai seriously, almost as if judging something about him. He seemed to come to some kind of decision, his expression turning serious. "Actually, I… try not to let anyone know that I have the Gem Beasts. If certain people found out, it could be very bad for me."

"Eh?" Judai blinked in surprise, staring at his host. "Bad how? Why?"

"Well, you see, I'm not supposed to have the Gem Beasts. So if anyone found out I have them, I would probably get in a lot of trouble with the law," Johan explained with surprising cheer.

"Johan!" a spirit wailed, appearing on the coffee table. This one was a soft pink panther, Judai noted distractedly, still trying to process what he had been told. "I can't believe you just told him!" the cat protested. As Johan made calming gestures, she spun to face Judai and glared. "If you tell anyone, I'll carve you up!" she hissed.

Judai scooted away reflexively. In the back of his mind, he felt Yubel stir, not at all pleased with this threat to his wellbeing. Normally she would have made an appearance and done her best to make sure no one even thought about touching _her_ Judai, but the afternoon's reminders made her hold back.

"Wait, you stole them?" Judai asked suddenly, finally understanding what Johan meant.

"Well, yes," Johan agreed, at the same time as the cat spirit protested, "Those fools had no right to us in the first place!"

Looking between them, Judai grimaced. He didn't feel particularly bothered by the idea of Johan stealing (or whatever) the Gem Beasts, since the spirits clearly wanted to be with him, but he still felt a bit confused.

"We wanted to be with Johan, but those money-loving morons wouldn't give us to him! They just wanted to put us on display like some kind of trophies!" the cat spat viciously. This seemed to be a very sore point, Judai decided. "They wanted to separate us!" she concluded, as if that was the greatest offense possible, worse than kicking puppies or drowning kittens. An atrocity.

'To them, it probably is,' Judai realized, watching Johan murmur calmingly to the spirit and gesture reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Amethyst Cat," the other duelist concluded a little more loudly, catching Judai's attention.

"Yeah," Judai chimed in. "I won't tell anyone." Sure, it might have been technically illegal, but he didn't see anything really wrong…

Johan shot him a very grateful look, which Amethyst Cat matched with a very distrustful one. "I told you he'd understand," he told her, making the spirit huff and fade reluctantly from sight.

For a moment, the two sat in silence before Johan smiled brightly and spoke up. "Well, now that you know our secret, how about meeting my family for real?"

"Huh? Your family?" Judai repeated, completely non-pulsed. He'd already met the twins, was there someone else?

Johan laughed at his confusion. "The Gem Beasts are like family to me," he explained. "All of us look out for each other, through thick and thin. So what I meant was, how about a duel?"

"A duel?" Judai parroted back. Yeah, Johan had offered before, and normally, Judai would feel at least somewhat excited to have a nice, friendly match but…

_"Even now, people around you are always being hurt,"_ Kinomiya smirked, pointing at Judai accusingly. _"Facing you is like gambling with your life. That's right! For you, there's no such thing as a simple duel!"_

'That's stupid!' he berated himself mentally, shaking the memory away. 'Yubel's got no reason to hurt Johan and she's not like that anymore! Johan's so nice, there's no way he'll do something to provoke Yubel…'

As if to underline his point, Johan beamed at him and held out his deck. "Wouldn't be good to have it go through the spin cycle with your clothes," he explained.

Shrugging off his lingering uneasiness, Judai returned the smile and nodded. It was a moment's work for him to retrieve his Duel Disk from his bag and for both of them to move out onto the patio, lit by a half-circle of lamps.

"Duel!" Both called out simultaneously, sharing grins.

"I'll start," Johan declared. "Draw! I summon Gem Beast Emerald Turtle (600/2000) in defense mode!"

As the large shell of the monster materialized, Emerald Turtle said quietly to his duelist, "It's been a while since we dueled, Johan. This one's got a good look in his eyes."

Johan smiled at the encouragement as Judai's eyes widened a little. "You talk to your monsters in battle, huh?" he muttered. "But it seems like you like dueling. So why…?"

"Well, I can't really risk it with strangers," Johan explained, laughing a little.

'Oh, because he doesn't want anyone to know he has the Gem Beasts,' Judai realized. "But can't you use a different deck?" he asked.

Johan's smile was a little odd as he answered, "Well, yeah, I guess. They're always saying that too, but it just wouldn't be the same."

"Johan is very willful about things he cares about," Emerald Turtle rumbled from inside his shell. Judai smiled a little, thinking how much like an old uncle the Duel Monster sounded. He could almost hear the spirit add 'young people these days' and a sigh. "Even though insisting on having us in his deck makes things difficult for him, he refuses to give us up."

"Well of course!" Johan laughed. "I told you, we're family! We made a promise, after all!"

'He's kind of like me… He can't duel easily,' Judai thought, watching the exchange. 'But he's really different too.'

"Anyway," Johan said, getting them back on track, "I set two cards face down and end my turn. Now, let's see what kind of deck you've got, Judai!"

"My turn," Judai said immediately, shaking himself out of his thoughts. "Draw. I summon Elemental Hero Burst Lady and activate Polymerization to fuse her with E-Hero Avian from my hand to summon E-Hero Flame Wingman (2100/1200)."

"Oh," Johan drew out, staring at his monster with fascination. "I haven't seen that one before…"

"Flame Wingman, attack Emerald Turtle directly!" Judai directed automatically. As Emerald Turtle disappeared in a burst of flame and smoke, he added, "Flame Wingman's effect deals you damage equal to your monster's attack when it's sent to the Graveyard."

But as the smoke cleared, Judai's eyes widened in surprise. An uncut emerald slowly materialized in front of Johan.

Seeing Judai's confusion, Johan chuckled and explained, "This is a special property of the Gem Beasts. When they are destroyed in battle, instead of going to the Graveyard, they remain on the field as continuous spell cards. And, since they don't get sent to the Graveyard, Flame Wingman's monster effect doesn't work."

'They remain on the field?' Judai thought, interest and excitement making his heart speed up. 'What else can they do?' he wondered automatically. 'I want to see what else he's got in his deck.' But he'd need to work on that. "I set two cards and end my turn," Judai said, drawing off his offensive.

"My turn. Draw!" Johan said. "I summon Topaz Tiger (1600/1000) in attack mode and equip it with Wild Nature's Release. This raises Topaz Tiger's attack points by his points defense points (ATK 2600)! Now, battle!"

But that entirely too straight forward. Unfazed, Judai pointed to one of his face down cards. "I active R – Righteous Justice! It allows me to destroy a Trap or Magic card, and I destroy Wild Nature's Release."

It was too late to call off the attack, and Topaz Tiger disappeared in a swirl of jewel pieces, reappearing as another gem. "Topaz Tiger's special ability raises his attack points by 400 when he does battle, so I only take 100 points damage," Johan pointed out, wincing a little as his Life Points dropped to 3900. "I activate my face down card – Flat Level 4. Both us can summon a level 4 monster from either hand or deck. I summon Sapphire Pegasus (1800/1200) in defense mode and activate his special effect to place Amber Mammoth face up in my spell and trap zone."

'He's calling out more Gem Beasts?' Judai thought, eyeing the assembled dormant gems. "I summon E-Hero Clayman (800/2000) in defense mode," he decided, setting the monster in question on the field.

Johan nodded. "I end my turn," he concluded.

Judai smiled as he drew his card, but Johan interrupted him. "I activate a continuous trap Gem Flash Energy! Every Standby Phase, you receive 300 points damage for every continuous magic card on my side of the field. So with my three Gem Beasts, you lose 900 Life Points."

But as his Life Points dropped to 3100, Judai smiled wider, his grin becoming toothy. Now this was what he had been looking for. "Not bad, but I'll do better," he boasted. "First, I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards. Next, I equip Spell Card Clay Wrap to E-Hero Clayman."

The monster glowed with a golden light for a moment. Across their impromptu dueling field, Johan frowned as he read the card's effects from a display on his Duel Disk.

'Now, if Clayman is sent to the Graveyard, Clay Wrap will let me destroy one Spell or Trap card. Then I can get rid of that Gem Flash Energy trap,' he thought. 'Of course, I'd better come up with some insurance too. That trap could kill me in only a few turns.'

But that prospect only excited him more, making Judai grin wider. "Now, I play H – Heated Heart," he declared as the card appeared in front of him. "Flame Wingman gains 500 ATK (2600) and when it battles a Defense Position monster with DEF lower than its ATK, the difference is dealt to you as Battle Damage. And of course, I attack Sapphire Pegasus!"

Johan winced as Sapphire Pegasus was destroyed, reappearing as another Gem, and his Life Points dropped to 2500.

"And now, your spell and trap zone is full, so you even if you summon more of your Gem Beasts, they won't be able to remain on the field," Judai pointed out triumphantly. It seemed like none of the Gem Beasts had very high attack power, so he had to wonder what Johan would do now, especially with their ability disabled. Would he play a monster that wasn't a Gem Beast? Well, he'd be ready for that too! "I'll set one card face down and end my turn," he concluded, thinking, 'Now, show me what you've got!'

Grinning in reply, Johan drew a card. "My turn, and Gem Flash Energy activates again, so you lose 1200 Life Points," he said. Judai was down to 1900 points now, giving his opponent a definite advantage. "And I guess you're right about the Gem Beasts… But that just means it's time for a different approach. I summon Dweller in the Depth (1500/700)." The card image showed a cave, but as Johan played it, a dark brown, rough-hewed dragon appeared, rising up from a pool of darkness. Johan smirked a little. "It gains 300 ATK points for every continuous spell card I control – and that includes my Gem Beasts! That raises its attack to 2700, enough to take down your Flame Wingman! Battle!"

'Just as I thought!' Judai gloated mentally. "Hehe! Not so fast! I activate the trap Draining Shield! It negates your monster's attack and adds those points to my Life instead," Judai smirked, his Life Points rising back to 3600. Johan grimaced.

"Turn end," he conceded.

"Draw!" Judai declared, his heart pounding with excitement, a wild grin on his face. It had been a while since he'd a truly exciting duel, especially running around and trying to find out more about all the Singer business…

But all of that abruptly froze as he flipped over the card he had drawn. 'What? But how? I didn't…' he thought disjointedly.

Yubel's mismatched eyes stared back at him, and through their connection, he could feel the spirit herself stir in surprise. To let him duel in peace and not dampen his happiness, she had withdrawn so far back she hadn't even noticed that her card was in his deck…

But how did this happen? He didn't use Yubel in battle, hadn't ever since…

_"Until finally, when you were eight, your neighbor Osamu fell into a coma after he beat you in a duel. He remained comatose for four months, and whenever you tried to visit, his condition would suddenly worsen, as if he was experiencing excruciating pain,"_ the Profiler recited evenly, his voice a mocking lilt.

Forcefully shaking away that memory, Judai thought to himself, 'Just calm down. Anyway, there's no reason to panic.'

And there wasn't. It wasn't a problem. It wasn't like Yubel would just flip out and hurt Johan for no reason, or anything like that, even if Johan won. Yubel had changed a lot since then. She understood now that just because Judai lost, it wasn't bad. And anyway, he wouldn't be upset losing to Johan, and that was what Yubel hated the most – people who made Judai upset.

It wasn't a problem. He had just been surprised, that's all.

Adding the card (_Yubel_) to his hand, Judai surveyed the battlefield. Johan's spell and trap zone was completely filled with Gem Flash Energy and the Gem Beasts. He had Dweller in the Depths on offense. He certainly used his monsters' special ability to its fullest extent.

And speaking of his opponent, Johan seemed to have noticed Judai's momentarily attention lapse and was now looking at him with mild concern. Thinking of something suddenly, Judai ventured, "Hey, Johan… Did you… put Yubel's card in my deck?"

"That's right!" Johan confirmed, nodding. "I put it with the rest when I was clearing out your jacket."

Well, that made sense. That made a lot of sense, actually. 'Idiot!' Judai berated himself, realizing the implication suddenly. 'You almost let Yubel get laundered! Moron!'

"Anyway," Johan went on, "I wanted to see you two duel."

Judai looked up in surprise. "Eh? What?"

Nodding decisively, Johan explained, "I've only met a few other people who can see spirits, so I really want to see how two partners duel." His expression grew a little more serious, but oddly encouraging. Quietly, he added, "I think… you two have a strong bond."

'Duel with Yubel…' Judai thought wistfully. 'I really wanted to when I was kid. Never could pull it off though.' He chuckled a little at the thought, looking down at Yubel's card.

"I'm not sure our bond is all that strong," he said absently.

"Of course it is," Johan countered almost gently. "Even though so many things happened, you two are still together. That's what a bond is. That's what it means to be close to someone. Even if it's difficult, even if sometimes there are problems, you stay together and don't give up."

'Stay together and make things better?' Judai thought. He smiled. 'Well, yeah, we have been doing that, haven't we? Things have gotten better since then. I guess we're both just a little scared. Heh.'

"Now, come on! I want to see you two duel!" Johan exclaimed with renewed cheer.

"He doesn't know what he's getting into," Yubel murmured, appearing as a spirit beside Judai. She shot him a quick glance, instantly gauging his reaction. But she didn't really need to do that, did she? They were connected much more deeply than that.

Judai smirked. "Nope. He's got no idea," he agreed.

Taking a deep breath, he looked across the duel field once more before looking down at his cards.

"Alright then!" he exclaimed, pulling a card from his hand. "I play De-fusion to special summon Avian and Burst Lady to the field!" On cue, his fusion monster split into two, becoming the forms of the material monsters. That made three. Judai laughed, holding out the card of his strongest, oldest monster.

"Now! I sacrifice my three Elemental Heroes to summon Yubel!" Johan smiled as Judai's partner appeared, spearing her wings and smiling dangerously, though really, this was a very bad thing for him. "Clay Wrap's effect destroys Gem Flash Energy!" Judai continued, pointing to the trap, which quickly shattered in response. "And now, I attack Dweller in the Depths with Yubel!"

"Eh?" Johan muttered as Yubel's third eye glowed. In response, his dragon's eyes shimmering faintly with the same light.

"Yubel cannot be destroyed in battle and I take no damage from battles involving her. Instead, your monster's attack points are dealt to you as battle damage," Judai explained with a smirk as Johan's Dweller dragon roared and charged. But instead of trampling over Yubel's slim form, the monster burst into fragments, sending a backlash toward Johan.

The blast sent him reeling and he stumbled, dropping to sit on the patio floor as his Life Points dropped to zero. Looking up, Johan laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"That's harsh," he said cheerfully, climbing to his feet again and walking toward his opponent. "I guess I'm no match for you two. I hope we can duel again sometime."

As their Duel Disks deactivated, the cards and their representations faded from sight. Yubel faded too, but only halfway, remaining as a spirit and floating back a little to Judai's side. Johan smiled as they shared a long look before turning to watch him again.

Stopping in front of Judai, he held out his hand. His opponent grasped it firmly, smiling in reply.

'I told you I'd figure it out,' Johan thought a little smugly. In revenge, the Gem Beasts soundly ignored him.

-

A/N: Alright, the semester's (almost) over! More free time! But, yeah, this chapter has to be the lamest one yet. And that duel was like, three turns, but it just killed me. So, some notes.

1) Judai was there the entire time Edo was, but they didn't meet at all. It wasn't, per se, that I hadn't planned out this chapter. There was just really no reason to mention it.

2) You all thought Cobalt Eagle would give you a flashback, right? Well, then I'd never finish this chapter, so no flashback for you. Suckers... (T_T I'm so pathetic.)

3) Where exactly is Johan from? He's making Danish food, so I guess he's from Denmark (matching his name to another citizen, Hans Christian Andersen), but I always wanted to joke that he's not from Europe, he's from Greenland. Well, whatever.

4) Aren't you guys glad I'm impatient? Originally, Johan's reasons for dropping out of professional dueling weren't going to be revealed until someone finally got around to blackmailing him with them. But I got tired of dancing around the subject and just had him say it. So we get two backstory revelations for the price of one.

5) Judai's is based on the simple idea of "What if cards didn't get sent into space?" That's why his deck is Elemental Heroes. That's why he was able to get Yubel back when he started having nightmares (though obviously the nightmares were different). Also, obviously I cut the whole Prince of Darkness (or whatever) business. We don't need any more crazy legends right now.

5.2) Yubel's gender. Um, I'm calling Yubel "her" for simplicity's sake. Most interactions "she" has are with male characters, so it's easier to write if "he" doesn't apply to both the subjects. Also, I have trouble thinking of Yubel as a male, cute past life version notwithstanding.

6) Johan is... uh, a criminal. Yup. Theoretically, he could duel sometimes. It seems pretty normal for duelists not to recognize each others cards, but that wouldn't go professionally or in any really important duels. Also, because he basically stole the Gem Beasts, he doesn't have any support cards for them. I had a hell of a time making up what he _would_ have in his deck...

7) This is making steady progress in the Spiritshipping direction… Kinda. (Actually, they're barely friends. No matter how much I might wish, it really seems like it'll be 60+ chapters before they even flirt once. Haha. I should just write myself a really fluffy, OOC Spiritshipping story.)

8) I love how few people seem to be reading fanfiction this week. Like, a fifth the hits I usually get.

9) On the other hand, I got reviews from new people, which I always love. Big thanks to** RinTori**, **Heleentje** and **w nymph**! Lots of love.

10) Poll: Should this story be in the 5Ds section or the GX section? Cause, I think I spend way too much time of GX folks. Maybe I should move it, Y/N?

11) Oh, I promised Yusei jail time, didn't I? Well, yeah, but this chapter's already insanely long, and I'm tired. We're just going to have to timeskip all over Yusei's time in jail in chapter 15.

Next time: 14. _Road of the King. Disclosure Duel. Jack. Misty. _angst angst angst. (Thank you, Jack.) Also, plot, plot, plot. Goddamn, plot tumor.

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	14. let the dice fly

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Cross Game

14: let the dice fly (_this is the real beginning, where everything spins out of control_)

(we're half-way through finals! we can do it!)

-

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Stepping out of the limo, Jack forced himself not to blink as a myriad of camera flashes went off simultaneously. Back straight, head high, look impressive, impassive. Sometimes, the King gave proud, confident smiles to his fans, but today wasn't one of those days.

Tonight, Jack needed to focus on looking as impressive as always, but with one arm in a cast. These weren't fans anyway. Only bloodthirsty reporters, pompous bigwigs and a few professional duelists from beyond Neo Domino.

Maybe Jack should have felt something at the prospect of meeting duelists of that caliber. Certainly, Mikage had tried her best to get him excited, explaining in detail each pro's record and strengths. Jack vaguely realized that she was starting to seriously worry about his unresponsiveness and lack of interest in everything.

Having given the reporters enough time to take their pictures, Jack strode forward regally across the red carpet, head high, white trench coat flowing dramatically. He was King. He was above all of them.

Ignoring everyone and everything, he took a moment to stare at the giant movie poster on the far wall. 'Road of the King,' he thought bitterly. 'It's only lies. The road to King is made of betrayal and sacrifice. It's nothing like this film claims.'

Mikage shifted nervously behind him, alerting Jack that someone was beginning to approach, no doubt eager to finally catch the King after a week and a half long absence. But Jack had absolutely no interest in speaking with anyone. Not reporters, not rich executives, and certainly not someone like Phoenix.

There was one good way to avoid them all though. Quickly, he made his way to the stairs where Godwin was set to appear shortly and climbed up to the first platform. From there, he could look down on anyone, daring them to approach.

(And at the same time, he stood waiting for Godwin to descend from up above, to give him his directions and set their course.)

Barely forcing back a nasty scowl at the rogue thought, Jack tried to distract himself by scanning the crowd below him and picking out familiar faces.

There was Phoenix, dressed in another perfectly pressed silver suit, chatting up several businessmen, a beautiful dark-haired woman standing next to him. Another group of bigwigs had gathered around the Marufuji brothers, almost hiding from sight the wheelchair-bound Kaiser and his short sibling.

Other guests were also at least vaguely familiar to Jack, but before he could more than note them in passing, a hush fell over the ballroom. Correctly guessing the reason, Jack turned to watch Godwin descend.

Reaching the platform where Jack stood, Godwin turned to the crowd and smiled magnanimously. "Welcome, dear guests," he began, his voice deep and slow. "We of Neo Domino City's Public Security Maintenance Bureau thank you for attending this premier of the documentary film _Road of the King_."

A perfectly timed pause. "This film is the story of pride, perseverance and power. It is the story of a duelist rising to claim his crown. The story of our King, Jack Atlus."

Godwin gestured grandly, half turning toward Jack, and on cue, the audience applauded politely. Jack could just make out Phoenix smiling mockingly as he slowly brought his hands together.

Closing his eyes to stop himself from glaring, Jack could hear Godwin go on. "Unfortunately," and he could just imagine the faint smile, "while testing a new dueling technology in conjunction with our science and development department, the King was injured due to a malfunction. Rest easy, he will return to his field in one month, to once again accept all challengers and defend his title."

'A true disappointment, no doubt,' Jack thought cynically. Those people down there were just waiting to see him fall.

"But for this month, we will be holding a very special event," Godwin continued smoothly. "All of you have no doubt heard of the revolutionary GENEX circuit. Encompassing some of Duel Monsters' most historically-rich arenas and locales, the GENEX circuit encourages any and all comers to the Dueling world, in the true spirit of the legendary stars of Duel Monsters."

Frankly, Jack had to wonder how much of that Godwin believed. The man firmly supported privilege and separation of classes, but to advance his own agenda, he would preach the Marufuji brothers' ideology of equal opportunity as if it was the one true creed.

"Visiting our city, the founders of the GENEX circuit were truly impressed by the wealth of dueling talent among our people and the rich history of this area. Working in conjunction with the Public Security Maintenance Bureau, they have organized an event to showcase all that we have to offer. To explain in full detail, the two indomitable duelists, Marufuji Ryo and Sho!"

Godwin swept his hand outward, and the crowd turned to the two brothers, who slowly made their way to base of the steps. The younger, Sho, moved to stand beside his brother and bowed to the audience. Jack could see his narrow shoulders rise and fall as he took a deep, calming breath.

"Thank you, Director, for all your assistance and cooperation. You have graciously opened your city to us, and we will do our best to show the world the many skilled duelists of Neo Domino. To do this, over the next month, we will be conducting a series of Disclosure Duels." Marufuji paused, letting the other guests repeat the phrase to themselves.

As he continued, his voice was stronger, more assured. "There are no limitations on who may enter a Disclosure Duel." Murmurs swept across the audience. "Any duelist may request a Disclosure Duel, either having their opponent randomly selected from the list of participants or specifying who they wish to face. Anyone who enters may be challenged. And among those that enter will be several professionals from our GENEX circuit. Including…"

Marufuji trailed off, turning slightly to look into the crowd. "The intercontinental champion, Edo Phoenix."

The guests gasped slightly, turning as well to eye the pro in question. Phoenix smiled, letting his eyes sweep over them once before returning his attention to Marufuji.

"That is correct," Godwin took over, silencing the crowd again. "A formal announcement will be made tomorrow morning, including further details. The first Disclosure Duel has already been set, to take place in twenty-four hours. Now, ladies and gentleman, the showing of _Road of the King_ will begin shortly. Let us make our way to the theater."

Jack watched as uniformed attendants appeared, opening the grand double doors to the theater room and beginning to herd the guests in the right direction. Murmuring amongst themselves, they went slowly, glancing often at the Marufuji brothers, Phoenix, Godwin and even Jack himself.

As most of the crowd moved into the next room, the young Marufuji bowed slightly to Godwin and followed as well, pushing his brother's wheelchair in front of him. Godwin descended as well, shooting Jack a long, meaningful look.

A glare from Jack sent Mikage scurrying after him, with the King bringing up in the rear.

The movie itself passed by in a blur as Jack brooded. It was all lies anyway. He hadn't been born in Tops (Yusei was). His entire "history" was fake. And if that ever came to light, would he even be able to remain on his pedestal?

As everyone moved back into the ballroom for the reception afterwards, Godwin laid one hand on Jack's shoulder. It was oddly cold.

"Come, King, they have not seen in far too long," he murmured quietly, all but ordering Jack to mingle and make his presence known.

Taking one look at him, Mikage left to hold off the reporters that congregated on him like sharks tasting blood. Left to himself, Jack barely said two words to anyone, only nodding at the false good wishes and inquiries about his health. Fortunately for him, most were too preoccupied discussing the GENEX event to harass him further.

Quickly becoming lost in his own thoughts, Jack didn't notice another guest approaching until the young woman stood barely a foot from him. Blinking surprise, Jack stared at her for a moment as he tried to place just who she was.

'That's right,' he realized suddenly. 'Misty, the supermodel.'

Misty smiled mysteriously, her gaze locked with his. "Your face…" she murmured. "I can tell, there is a great turmoil in your future." Reaching out, she let her fingertips rest against his cheekbones before slowly trailing her hand down to his chin. Her smile deepened as Jack frowned.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"All your doubts and fears… They're going to come true. I wonder, will you be able to stand it?" she whispered almost to herself, leaning in until they were almost flush against each other. "Will there be anything left, when all those titles are stripped away?..."

Her other hand rose, as if to steady her as she looked up into his face, and came to rest on his bound right arm, with surprising gentleness. She smiled knowingly, raising her face as if for a kiss. "All those doubts… Your spirit's trembling. Your duelist's heart has…"

Snarling, Jack pushed her away, but Misty only swayed gracefully, dancing out of his reach. With one last smile, she disappeared into the crowd, leaving Jack reeling in confusion and… (doubt).

As he looked around, Jack was surprised to see that it seemed like no one had noticed their exchange. 'That's right. Right now, I'm old news. They have something else to focus on,' he thought.

He had only planned to slip out to get some fresh air. But as he stood outside the building, taking a deep breath and looking up at the empty half-lit sky, Jack realized he had no intention of going back.

-

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A/N: Jack has a fit of teenage rebellion! Also, Godwin is _hard_.

Well, we're back to one-scene chapters. It's okay. Next time will make up for it as we speed through Yusei's entire stay in jail and then some.

Hm. So last chapter was too boring? … I dunno. This isn't really an exciting story to start with. It's all talking heads. I'm just pissed that there's no BL. Or making out of any kind. Seriously, I appreciate Jack single-handedly trying to provide the angst quota, but I sometimes just want him to go and fulfill all of Mikage's fangirl fantasies instead. She's really cute. Um… Wait. I didn't mean that.

Anyway, I really need to catch up on the recent episodes. Carly's important?! Great, now I'm gonna have to figure out how to work her in. Well, I guess I'll leave that alone for now, since I decided to put off the Dark Signers until the Disclosure Duels are over. Except, well, I haven't come up with a conclusion to them yet. Ha. Ha. Ha.

(No seriously. Why do you think everyone was so vague about them this chapter? Also, I need more participants. There'll be Edo, of course, and Aki and the Arcadia Movement, and Yusei plus some others from next chapter. And Manjoume, yeah, like I need more characters. But who else? And where is it all going? Blah.)

(Through all of this, I need to figure out some way to have the Signers all get together in one place so they can have their GOLDEN BRIDGES THROUGH TIME vision.)

DEAR RA/OSIRIS/HAMON WHY IS THERE SO MUCH PLOT T______________T

(where is my bl damnit)

(stop having foeyay with ed, jack, there are hot women hitting on you, 'xcept i think misty's all lesyay)

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	15. get out

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Cross Game

15: get out (_congratulations!_)

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Patience was a quality Yusei prided himself on, but after six days in the same tiny cell, even he was starting to get very impatient. Unlike the Detention Center, Security Headquarters was not meant to hold prisoners for more than a few days at most. In the entire time he had been there, Yusei had only left his cell once - to meet with Godwin. The cell came with a "toilet" and food was brought in, so there was really no reason for him to leave, though the other detainees came and went more often, meeting with their lawyers or making phone calls or just being released.

Even going over each part of his D-Wheel individually in his mind wasn't enough to keep him occupied anymore. Just how long would he be stuck here?

There had been a bit of a commotion a few hours before. Unfortunately, his cell was the furthest in, so no one was led past it, and he had no way of looking out into the corridor. All Yusei knew was that people had been scurrying around a lot, many of them demanding lawyers, threatening lawsuits and complaining about the accommodations.

Having become accustomed to his isolation, Yusei didn't bother moving from his bunk as another commotion started up at the far end of the corridor. This one sounded far more violent, with a great deal of inarticulate shouting and scuffling. Sounded kind of like a fight, actually.

To Yusei's surprise, a pair of officers ran up to his cell, quickly opening the door and standing guard. Sitting up, he regarded them with mild interest.

"Is this really okay?" the younger of the two asked. "We're not supposed to put anyone with him, right?"

The older, more grizzled Security man snarled. "It's not like we have anywhere else. We can't put that punk with any of the suits we dragged in from the corruption deal. He'll slaughter them, and we'll get sued! Let him and the Satellite scum rot together!"

He added something else, something about maybe they'd kill each other and spare everyone the trouble, but his voice was drowned out as the source of all the chaos was bodily dragged up to the open door of Yusei's cell. It took no less than half a dozen officers, the D-Wheeler noted with mild admiration.

The "punk" fought for a moment longer before the officers all but threw him into the cell, slamming the door shut and locking it quickly. The young man rolled to his feet quickly and glared at them, earning himself a few sneers and dirty looks. However, the officers quickly left, leaving the two cellmates alone.

Yusei studied the newcomer with mild interest. He was obviously a foreigner, dark skinned, his hair in a strange style, like dreads. His clothes were dark neutral colors and very practical, though it seemed that he, like Yusei, had been stripped off most possessions.

Making sure the Security personnel had departed, he rose to his feet slowly and studied the cell with deliberate care, his eyes lingering on the camera in one corner. Finally, he nodded to himself and turned to regard Yusei, his expression entirely too knowing. Glaring reflexively, the D-Wheeler shifted to a more defensive position.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to fight," his cellmate said quietly, moving to the bunk opposite Yusei's. "Actually, I came here to meet you."

That statement did absolutely nothing lessen Yusei's suspicion, and it showed on his face. "You got arrested on purpose?" he asked skeptically. There was only one reason anyone would do that – Signer.

The newcomer nodded. "Your friends are getting worried, especially since they were sent away when they tried to visit you. We agreed that this would be the best way to get in touch with you. There's no guarantee that Godwin will release you any time soon. And since I'm a foreigner, I'll get off easier than a Neo Domino resident, especially one with a previous record."

"My friends?" Yusei repeated, his eyes narrowing.

"A certain jack-of-all-trades and I crossed paths when researching an old legend," his cellmate explained, somewhat ambiguously. "He said you would be skeptical. I'm supposed to say, 'Machiners Sniper.'"

Yusei nodded, relaxing only a fraction. 'So Saiga met him while looking into the Signers,' he thought.

"My name is O'Brien," the stranger introduced himself, apparently taking Yusei's silence in stride. "The reason I wanted to talk to you is there are things you should know." O'Brien paused, looking squarely at Yusei. "Do not trust Godwin," he said intensely, making the hair on the back of Yusei's neck stand.

"I don't," the Signer replied flatly, forcing down his reactions.

O'Brien's eyes narrowed. "Given your situation, that's natural. But… you don't know what he's capable of. You don't know what he has already done in the name of Yliaster."

'He threatened my friends,' Yusei thought with a stirring of anger.

"I can't offer you any proof now, and I can't explain in detail, but when you are released, your friend will have a message for you. Watch it carefully and keep in mind what you see," O'Brien instructed.

"Why do you care so much?" Yusei asked suspiciously. "What's your connection to this?"

O'Brien shook his head. "A comrade of mine lost everything because of Godwin's ambition. Godwin's plans require the Signers, and he will not hesitate to lie and mislead you to make you play his game. It may be only a small obstacle to him, but I would rather things didn't go smoothly."

Yusei watched him closely for several long moments before nodding minutely. It wouldn't hurt, he supposed. "I don't trust you either," he warned abruptly, as O'Brien settled down to wait as well.

His cellmate nodded calmly. "I don't expect you to," he replied.

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When Yusei was finally released a few days later, O'Brien was already gone. Probably, he had been right to say there was a limit to what Security could do to a foreigner. Taking back his jacket, Duel Disk and deck, Yusei quickly left Security Headquarters. The afternoon sun looked wonderful after more than a week of artificial lights.

To his surprise, Saiga pulled him aside almost as soon as he stepped out of the building.

"How did you know I'd be out today?" Yusei asked as Saiga pulled him along quickly, toward their hideout. The people in the street seemed oddly energized, he noted.

"Lucky guess," Saiga replied quickly, shaking his head. "You'll see when we get back. It's all over the news."

Slipping into their building, Saiga and Yusei found old man Yanagi and Himuro glued to the largest Solid Vision screen available to them. Pulling themselves away, they greeted Yusei enthusiastically, Himuro clapping him firmly on the back (and almost making him stumble) and Yanagi launching into a spontaneous hug.

Nodding in reply, Yusei cut straight to the chase. "What's going on?" he asked eyeing the screen behind them. On it, the Master of Ceremonies for the title matches was prancing around with even more fervor than usual.

Saiga shook his head. "While you were locked up, the King broke his arm, supposedly while testing some new dueling technology," he explained. Despite himself, Yusei frowned mildly in concern. It was just a broken arm though. Jack had gotten over worse before. "Yesterday, at the premier of that new movie, Godwin announced that while the King recovered, for the next month, there would be a special event held joint with the GENEX professional dueling circuit."

"GENEX," Yusei repeated to himself, trying to remember what, if anything, he knew about them.

Himuro, looking oddly excited, explained quickly, "GENEX is the circuit in this region. It covers really famous arenas used by legends like Kaiba and Mutou, and recruits from Duel Academia Central. It's also called the legacy circuit, and hailed as the next generation revival of dueling." He shook his head. "Neo Domino isn't part of it though."

"They announced the details this morning," Saiga continued, his manner far more subdued and far from happy. "The event will be held as a series of Disclosure Duels. Duelists of any rank or standing can sign on to the list of participants. From there, they can request either a random match up from the list or challenge another participant specifically. There is no entry fee, and several pros from the circuit are also entering, as well as a bunch of foreigners. Supposedly, if you win three duels, you'll be able to enter into the GENEX circuit with full sponsorship."

Yusei nodded thoughtfully. "You thought I'd be released because of this?" he asked a little doubtfully.

"Like I said, lucky guess," Saiga shrugged. "Though, the way things have been going, Godwin may try to use this somehow. I don't think he's the type to let any opportunity pass by."

"Oh! The first match's starting!" old man Yanagi exclaimed, turning up the volume as two mug shots appeared on the screen. One of them, Yusei recognized fairly quickly. It was the last challenger to Jack's title, Mukuro Enjo. The other was unfamiliar, a young man with wild black hair and serious gray eyes. Scanning the statistics under their portraits quickly, Yusei raised his eyebrows at the long list of victories for the stranger.

'Manjoume Jun,' he repeated the name to himself. 'Is he one of the pros?'

The camera switched to the Stadium, showing both duelists already on their D-Wheels as the countdown began. "They're Riding Duels?" Yusei asked Saiga quietly.

"When you apply, you can mark whether you agree to Riding Duels or not. If both you and your opponent agree, then it's a Riding Duel. If only one or neither agree, it's a ground Duel," Saiga explained.

"NOW, ladies and gentleman, Field Magic Speed World, set, ON! First Disclosure Duel, BEGIN!" the MC yelled, and both D-Wheels dashed forward.

Despite having no real interest in the outcome, Yusei found himself watching intently, his heart pounding. It was because he was a duelist, he thought. While it was obvious Enjo was completely outclassed, he put up a very good fight, and watching someone as skilled as Manjoume never failed to excite any duelist worth their cards.

All too soon, the MC was calling out the result.

"And there it is, ladies and gentleman! The outcome of the first Dis-Duel! Winner, Manjoume Jun!"

The winner in question pulled off his helmet as the camera zoomed on him and scowled fiercely. "Manjoume-san da!" he demanded. "Speak more respectfully!"

Unfortunately, the MC completely misunderstood the complaint. "Manjoume Sandaaaaa!!" he corrected (incorrectly), the crowd picking up the call. "Thunder! Thunder!"

Shaking his head, Yusei turned away from the celebration footage, which had begun to rehash the duel, pointing out each duelist's strategies and comparing to past duels. Instead he caught Saiga's eye and said quietly, "I met someone at Security Headquarters."

Saiga nodded. "O'Brien. I don't really know what to make of him. He was also looking into Security's connection to Signers, and he said there was something you needed to know. He left this." Saiga held out a small memory stick, which Yusei took and regarded thoughtfully. "Are you going to watch?"

"Yeah," Yusei replied. "I suppose it won't hurt." Actually, he was getting very tired of everyone trying to pull him every which way. But knowledge was power, and it was better not to go into this Signer mess blind. If nothing else, O'Brien and his mysterious comrade had been the least forceful about their interest.

Moving upstairs, Yusei turned on one of the computers and inserted the memory stick. There were only two files. One was a video, the other a short text document. Yusei opened the video first.

The picture was a bit grainy, showing a simple village surrounded by wilderness. Beyond, mountains stood out as dark silhouettes against the starry night sky. Suddenly, a pillar of light shot upward, pulsed and expanded rapidly, engulfing the mountainside and the village. For a moment, Yusei could see slabs of earth rising up and disintegrating before the wave of light. But that wasn't what made him freeze in shock.

The light vanished as abruptly as it had appeared, and the stars lit what remained. A section of the mountain range had simply been erased. Around the crater, the earth was overturned and fragmented, ripped apart by the resultant shockwave. Yusei couldn't make out the fate of the village, but the place where it had stood looked like the BAD area of Satellite – completely ruined.

Reaching out a slightly shaking hand, he pushed the pushed the timer back and watched the pillar of light appear again. As the screen was engulfed, he paused the video and gripped the edge of the table.

It was indistinct, but there was no mistaking it. A faint crimson shape wavered at the epicenter.

'The Crimson Dragon,' Yusei thought faintly.

Closing the video, he opened the text attachment. There were only two lines. The first read, "Meet me. I will explain." The second gave coordinates and time.

Slipping past Saiga, Himuro and Yanagi, Yusei hurried away into the gathering evening.

The meeting place was a warehouse in one of the more upscale parts of town. Everything was locked down, but Yusei easily slipped inside. Studying the interior as he waited, he noted that it was mostly empty. There was only one large crate, labeled "BOMMER".

The lock on the door beeped and began to release, and Yusei darted out of sight as a rectangle of light fell across the floor of the warehouse. A tall, well-built man stepped in, the door sliding shut behind him. Walking up to the crate, he placed one hand against it and closed his eyes.

"So you've been released," he commented without turning around.

Taking a step forward, Yusei narrowed his eyes. "Explain," he demanded plainly.

The stranger looked over his shoulder, meeting Yusei's hot glare, but instead of answering, he observed, "You watched the footage."

"What was that? Why did the Crimson Dragon appear?" Yusei pressed. He was more shaken than he wanted to admit. It really seemed as if the Crimson Dragon had been the cause of that destruction… and he still hadn't forgotten the fierce power that had swept over his and Jack's duel.

Was that the power Godwin sought?

Was that what Yusei might cause?

(Was the Black Rose Witch right, in the end, about their curse?)

The stranger regarded him piercingly for a moment. "That footage shows the results of Godwin's attempt to summon the Crimson Dragon without the Signers," he began. "Without the Signers and the Star Dragon King to control the power of the Dragon Star, the Crimson Dragon went out of control…"

As the man trailed off, Yusei clenched his teeth. So the Signers were needed to control and direct the Crimson Dragon? "Dragon Star?" he repeated.

The man nodded slowly. His gaze grew distant and thoughtful. "Three thousand years ago, there existed a civilization that worshipped a mystical light they referred to as the Red Dragon Star. They were the People of the Stars. In answer to their prayers, the Dragon Star granted its power unto the Star Dragon King and his followers. That power took the form of the Crimson Dragon… and the five who controlled it were each marked with a part of it – the first Signers."

"The first Signers…" Yusei repeated. "Just how many Signers have there been?"

"The marks of the Signers are passed on continually every generation, though they may not awaken. It takes a strong heart and spirit to bring out the Crimson Dragon's power," the man answered as Yusei subconsciously brought a hand to his right arm. "To preserve the legacy of the Signers during the periods of peace and to aid the Signers in their struggle is the duty of the Star Guardians and their organization – Yliaster."

'Someone is supposed to be helping us with this?' Yusei thought angrily. 'Someone was supposed to help the Black Rose Witch when her powers appeared? Someone was supposed to be there when Jack and I dueled?'

"However…" the man frowned darkly, "the current Star Guardian and leader of Yliaster has been acting upon his own agenda. You have been subject to his manipulations as well… Rex Godwin."

"Godwin?" Yusei snarled. _That_ man? _That _man was supposed to be helping them? That man who played them like puppets?

The other duelist closed his eyes, his expression darkening. "The people of that village were descendants of the People of the Stars. Godwin convinced them to aid him in summoning the Crimson Dragon. The result…" The man trailed off, his fists clenching. "It was as you saw. There was nothing left…"

Silence fell heavily between the two duelists as both were lost in their own heavy thoughts. (Yusei didn't want to admit it, but he was scared now. This wasn't a joke, he realized. He and Jack and the Black Rose Witch had the power to wipe Neo Domino, to wipe Satellite, off the map. And someone like Godwin, to whom people were tools and pieces, wanted that power for some unknown cause. It was just insane.)

But there was no choice but to face it.

"Why… do you care so much?" Yusei asked, breaking the silence between them.

The man smiled bitterly. "That village was my home," he stated almost emotionlessly, making Yusei's eyes widen in shock. "Godwin deceived us, and he continues to lie to me now. He claims he will help them, but O'Brien has verified that they…"

He trailed off, he voice becoming choked. Yusei's chest tightened in sympathy. If that was him, if that was Blitz, Nerve, Taka, Rally… He waited respectfully as the other man regained his composure.

"Godwin has recruited me to duel in the GENEX event. He plans to fully awaken the Signers' abilities before the end," he continued finally. "You should enter as well."

"You want me to enter?" Yusei asked, his eyes narrowing. "Aren't you opposed to Godwin's plans? So why are you suggesting I go along with them?"

The look he received was almost like pity. "At this point, it doesn't matter whether you go along willingly. Even if you resist, Godwin will force your cooperation. It would be in your best interests not to give him reason to take more… extreme measures," the man explained.

Yusei glared in reply, but he didn't argue. Godwin's threats still weighed heavily on his mind.

As Yusei turned to leave, the man said quietly, almost to himself, "The real time to fight will come soon…"

-

-

Returning to his temporary lodgings (which were starting to look less and less temporary), Yusei was pensive. All he had wanted was to settle things with Jack and get Stardust back, but both those goals looked as distant as ever…

'This would have followed me even if I'd stayed in Satellite,' Yusei thought firmly. 'At least Rally and the others aren't involved.' But that just made him wonder how long it could stay that way, if Godwin carried through on his threats…

But as he stepped into their building, Yusei was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts as something short and mint green on top collided with his leg.

"Yusei!" it exclaimed, looking up to reveal Rua's excited face. "We haven't seen you in forever!"

For a moment, Yusei stared at the boy in surprise. "Did you sneak out again?" he finally asked, remembering the last time he'd seen Rua in Daimon.

Rua shook his head vigorously, his ponytail swinging wildly. "Nope! Judai brought us!" he exclaimed.

Looking up around the room, Yusei finally noticed the young man in question sitting with Himuro, Yanagi and Ruka, all of them apparently clustered around a Solid Vision screen. Judai grinned and waved.

"Me and Ruka and Tenpei came looking for you before, but you weren't here, and I got into some trouble, but Judai helped me out," Rua explained enthusiastically. "So we took him home, and now Johan-nii's letting his stay with us, though I think it's just 'cause Judai actually likes his cooking."

'Took him home? What is he, a dog?' Yusei wondered, looking at Judai somewhat sourly. He felt more inclined to tolerate the other duelist now, knowing the reason he was so interested in the Crimson Dragon, but at the same time, he still didn't like something about him.

"Hi, Yusei," Ruka put in shyly, giving him a sweet smile. Yusei nodded to the girl as her brother pulled him over to sit between them.

The Solid Vision screen was still showing short clips of the Disclosure Duel, as well as commentary and a list of current participants. First came the famous Edo Phoenix, then the GENEX circuit-affiliated pros. Following them were unaffiliated foreign entrants, O'Brien's serious countenance among them. That must have been his excuse for getting into the city in the first place, since Neo Domino was notorious for its strict entry policies. But Yusei was surprised to see Manjoume Jun's photo highlighted among them.

Following the foreigners was an ever growing list of Neo Domino residents, including several Yusei recognized from past title matches.

"I'm thinking of entering," Himuro commented suddenly, his arms folded across his chest.

Giving his a sidelong glance, Yusei nodded. "Me too," he admitted.

"I wanna enter too!" Rua exclaimed, then pouted as Himuro and Yanagi laughed.

Judai grinned. "I don't think Johan will let you," he cheerfully shot the boy down. "But I kinda want to enter too… it sounds fun! …But I'm not sure I could since I'm not even supposed to be here…"

He seemed more cheerful than before, but then anyone would be more cheerful when they weren't worry over insane powers and their friends being used as pawns. For a moment, Yusei seemed ready to brood again, but he was pulled out of his thoughts as Ruka laid a hesitant hand on his arm.

"Um… Your deck," she started a little nervously. "I'm glad…"

"What do you mean?" Yusei asked patiently, reaching into his holster to pull out the cards. As he held them up to Ruka, the girl put on hand on top of the cards.

She met his eyes uncertainly. "I'm glad you got your card back," she said. "Um… he's really glad to be with you again."

For a moment, Yusei simply stared at her, making the girl fidget. Flipping the deck over, he fanned out the cards, his eyes quickly passing over their familiar images. Everything seemed alright. This was certainly his ground deck…

But the last card, the one at the top of his deck made him freeze in shock. Shifting it slightly, he stared at the silver background, the majestic figure.

'Stardust Dragon… But how? Why is it here?' he thought almost frantically. 'While Security had my deck? Did Jack… have put it here?'

But why would Jack just add Stardust to Yusei's deck. Jack was overdramatic to the most extreme degree. Everything he did was meaningful and drawn out, almost to the point of being ritualistic. If he wanted Stardust returned to Yusei, he would have made a spectacle out of it…

(Except when he was being kind. Jack always tried to hide his kindness, to just pretend it hadn't happened.)

"Ruka," Yusei began evenly, "how did you know Stardust was in my deck now?"

The girl looked away, her tiny fists clenching in her lap. On Yusei's other side, Rua glanced nervously between them. Elbowing Yusei suddenly, he pointed to the Solid Vision screen and exclaimed, "Look! They're announcing the next duel!"

Frowning at the interruption, Yusei looked away as Himuro turned up the volume.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, listen up!" the MC yelled into his mike, his pompadour bobbing wildly. "The next Dis-Duel has been decided! In the one corner, the legendary star of professional dueling! The prodigy with almost a decade of experience! The one, the only, EDO PHOENIX!"

On the screen, the image of a handsome young with neatly styled silver hair and striking blue eyes appeared in one corner. Despite himself, Yusei listened with interest. Even he had heard of Phoenix's incredible record.

"In the other corner, a mysterious new contender! A young beauty of unknown talent! Could this be the next star of dueling? The lovely, enigmatic, IZAYOI AKI!"

Opposite Phoenix's image appeared the photo of a girl, about Yusei's age, with vivid red hair and piercing brown eyes. She seemed completely mismatched against the legendary pro, and Yusei had to wonder if this wasn't some stunt to get Phoenix to duel as early as possible.

But maybe there was something else to it.

Judai hissed as the young woman's name was announced, his eyes firmly fixed on her image. Standing suddenly, he wavered for a moment. "Rua, Ruka!" he called suddenly. "Can you get home by yourselves?"

"Eh?" Rua seemed momentarily speechless before grinning. "Oh yeah! Sure!"

Ruka looked between them worriedly but also nodded. "I guess… It's not like we're really alone.."

'What does _that_ mean?' Yusei wondered, completely confused. But both Judai and Rua seemed to understand, the former nodding sharply, the later deflating a little.

Before Yusei could even word his question, Judai ushered the twins out, nodding distractedly. It was only a few minutes later that Yusei realized he should have just offered to walk them home. Well, it seemed like he would have to take them up on their offer of a visit.

He was getting sick of all these mysteries.

-

-

A/N: Congratulations! Finals are over! (for me, at least)

I really wasn't sure about this chapter, but hell, I need to do something.

I originally had something very different planned, but then it worked out like this instead. Haha. I was going to use a character from the DOMA arc of YGO DM, Amelda, but then I thought… eh. Too many characters. Damn, and he and Yusei were flirting nicely in my draft too… But I just don't need any more complications.

I don't really have internet all the time, so I can't remember what was on Bommer's video. Also, there are way too many terms to keep track of. So I tried to have Bommer sort of organize and list them. The Yugioh wikia is pretty helpful, but some of the terms just aren't consistent. Red Star/Dragon Star is the mystic light/god/power thing that the People of the Stars prayed to. Great Red Dragon/Crimson Dragon is the form of that power that appeared to the Star Dragon King and his followers the Signers (to aid them in fighting the Wicked Gods, but we aren't talking about that now).

Yeah, Bommer has his own conspiracy going (kinda?). Why do I have so many effing characters? Next chapter's back to Jack and where he went, but you know that's gonna be long and convoluted since I'll have to address why Godwin's just letting him run around and some other stuff. But after that, it's finally the next arc, GENEX!

-

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	16. follow the light

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Cross Game

16: follow the light (_if you are near to the dark, lost in an awesome story_)

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A day after walking out of the premier, Jack was seriously starting to wonder what he had been thinking. He still wasn't planning to go back, but… he really should have thought things through.

There was little to no doubt that Godwin knew what he'd done and even where he was. More than anyone, Jack was aware of the absolute control the Director had over his city. But nonetheless, the first thing Jack had done after leaving the premier was get a change of clothes. Sure, he didn't have any money on him, or anything except his trademark coat and deck, but Jack had survived in Satellite. He could certainly make his way in Neo Domino's rougher districts.

After sleeping out of the lap of luxury for the first time in two years, without any conscious thought, Jack gravitated to the place where Godwin's reports listed Yusei as staying. (Funny, even now, he returned to Yusei.)

Of course, Yusei was still at Security Headquarters. And what was Jack going to do anyway? He couldn't duel. He had already returned Stardust (whatever else he thought of Mikage, she carried out her orders and duties religiously). The white D-Wheel Yusei had built broke years ago. Their friendship… (was even more broken than that)

Trying to sort out his own feelings and wishes, trying to come up with just what he'd say when he saw Yusei again, Jack skulked around Daimon area. Everyone was abuzz with the news of the GENEX event – the Disclosure Duels.

When Yusei appeared in the late afternoon, returning to his hideout in the company of an older man, Jack still hadn't thought of anything. In fact, he continued to severely lack any ideas, even as Yusei left and returned, looking distinctly shaken.

It was late night by then, and even Jack had to admit that no ideas were going to just appear to him. Looking up at the moon, he sighed. 'I should look for somewhere to sleep, and something to eat too,' he thought despondently. Jack had his ways of finding those sorts of necessities, but…

"Hey!" a young, high voice startled Jack out of his thoughts, making him spin around, crouching defensively out of reflex. A short boy was pointing at him with a surprised and delighted expression, a very similar girl hiding behind him a little. "You! You're the King!" the boy exclaimed.

"Go home, boy," Jack ordered flatly, drawing himself to his full height again. He didn't want to deny being King – he still had pride, dammit – but he had no desire to admit to it either. Especially to a kid that looked like such a blabber mouth.

"You're really the King, Jack Atlus!" the boy insisted. "Can I have your autograph?"

Jack glared, and the girl cringed a little, tugging on her brother's (?) jacket. "Rua," she whispered, "leave him alone. Let's get home before it gets even later."

The boy ignored her. "How come you're out here?" he asked, stepping closer to Jack, so that he had to lean back to look the duelist in the face. "And how come you're wearing those clothes?"

Obviously, just glaring wasn't going to make the brat leave. "I'm undercover looking for strong duelists," Jack improvised.

"Oooh," the boy drew out, his eyes widening. "Then, are you looking for Yusei? He's super strong!"

"Yusei? Yusei Fudo? You know him?" Jack asked sharply.

The boy nodded vigorously. "Yup! We're friends! We dueled once, when he was staying with us."

'Yusei always had a weak spot for children,' Jack thought, his mind racing. 'He stayed with them? They're visiting him? Maybe…'

"He sounds like he might be a worthy opponent," Jack commented almost casually.

"He is! Yusei's the best! Er…" the boy trailed off momentarily. "I-I mean, he's really, really good! The King is the best, after all!"

"Rua," the girl insisted, tugging on his jacket again. "We really need to get home."

She was right. Daimon, especially after dark, was no place for children. What had Yusei been thinking, letting them go alone? Well, he was probably used to Rally, who could more than take care of himself. (Unless he was betrayed by someone he considered a friend, that is.)

"I'll walk you home," Jack said sharply, gesturing to the children. He wasn't heartless; he couldn't just leave them there. And he had ulterior motives. As he'd expected, the boy chattered all the way about Yusei and how they had met.

By the time they reached the Tops building the children lived in, Jack had learned several things.

'Yusei crashed into their building.' How had he managed that anyway? Probably some machination of Godwin's. 'He's as much of a sap as ever.' Really, customizing the Duel Disks? Yusei really did have a huge weakness for children. 'The Black Rose Witch is a Signer.' The boy had let that slip, mentioning her mark and Yusei's glowing together, before his sister elbowed him sharply. 'Yusei is going to enter in the Disclosure Duels.' Well, that was… Jack didn't know how to feel about that.

"Well, this is our house," Rua explained, gesturing to the sky scraper they had stopped in front of. "You'll come in, right? Please! You'll give me an autograph, right?"

Before Jack could properly protest, the boy pulled him inside the lobby. He and his sister waved cheerily to the receptionist but froze suddenly at the sight of another figure, sitting on one of the padded benches. Looking up from the book he had been reading, the young man sighed a little.

"Lua, Luca," he said evenly, getting to his feet. "I'm glad you're back alright." Turning to Jack, he smiled. "Thank you for walking them home. A certain someone apparently skipped out…"

"It's not a problem," Jack replied flatly, wishing he could cross his arms. "Well, then…"

The young man laid a (surprisingly strong) hand on Jack's arm, stopping him from leaving. "Wait, I have to thank you somehow for taking the trouble. At least stay for dinner."

Honestly, Jack was a little torn. Admittedly, he was out of practice when it came to living on the streets, and so he hadn't been exactly doing well in procuring food for himself, especially since he couldn't duel without anyone recognizing his deck as the King's. He was hungry. And from the boy's extensive descriptions, he knew that offering strange duelists food and lodging was apparently completely normal for this family.

And he _was_ hungry.

The young man – Johan Andersen – beamed as he and the children dragged Jack up to their flat and settled him at the table. Personally, Jack found absolutely nothing wrong with the food, though he had no idea what it was supposed to be. But then, he'd eaten worse. Much worse.

As supper drew to a close, Jack pushed back his chair and began, "Thank you for the meal. Now, I…"

But that was as far as he got when Rua grabbed his arm again. "Wait, you promised an autograph!" the boy exclaimed. "Come on, I'll show you all my King stuff!"

Actually, Jack hadn't promised anything. But that did nothing to deter Rua from dragging him from the table. Instead of helping the King, Ruka only sighed and began to gather up the plates while Johan laughed.

When they reached Rua's room, Jack blinked in surprise. The brat hadn't been kidding about being a fan. The walls were covered in King posters; King figurines decorated almost every flat surface. Leaving Jack to look around, Rua pulled open a desk drawer and began frantically ruffling through the contents.

With a triumphant cry, he pulled out a book. Holding out it and a pen to Jack, he beamed. "Sign it, please?"

It was a limited edition compilation guide about the King and the title matches. Jack had to smile a little at the boy's excited expression. Taking both the book and the pen, he laid the book down in his lap and flipped it open to the inside cover. It would be a bit tricky with his left hand, but he would manage. Now, what to write?

"Rua…" he began, something he had been wondering for a while rising to the front of his mind. "Why do you think so highly of the King?"

"Huh?" The boy stared at him for a moment in surprise. "Well… 'cause the King's the best! He's the strongest duelist!"

"Then, if the King lost the title match, the person you'd admire would be the new King, right?" Jack asked tonelessly, his hand hovering over the paper.

"Hm…" Looking up to the ceiling in thought, Rua rocked on his heels for a moment. "Maybe? I'd still admire you though. I mean, even if you aren't King, you're still a really strong duelist! Like Yusei! I think he's awesome, even though he'd not King."

"So it's because I'm a strong duelist," Jack murmured. But how important was dueling skill anyway? Yusei had beaten him in a duel, but that wasn't the real problem at all, was it? Jack had never looked down on Yusei when they had been on the same team, and Yusei had sometimes even won their practice matches.

No, the real problem was… Yusei hadn't thrown anything away, the way Jack had been forced to. Yusei had become that strong, had come to Neo Domino, without being forced to choose and sacrifice. That had nothing to do with dueling skill at all.

Not noticing Jack's increasingly dark thoughts, Rua nodded. "Yeah. I wish I was as strong as you and Yusei. Then I'd be able to protect Ruka and Johan-nii." Turning to Jack with a gleam in his eyes, the boy declared, "I'm gonna get strong! I'm gonna become a super strong duelist!"

Protect someone? He sounded like Yusei.

Jack sighed, sliding the cap back on the pen. But before he could say anything, the door suddenly opened and Ruka stepped inside, her expression agitated.

"Mr. Atlus, there's someone here looking for you," she said quietly.

Jack rose to his feet swiftly, setting the book aside, and followed her back to the main room. There, Mikage and Johan stood squared off, both looking determined and unmovable.

"Mikage," Jack barked. "What are you doing here?"

The assistant turned quickly, her expression relieved, and bowed. "Atlus-sama, we've been so worried!" she exclaimed.

Jack's eyes narrowed. "I doubt that. I've been followed constantly since yesterday, so you should well know that I haven't been in any danger." Mikage flinched a little at his harsh words, even though Jack was really the guilty party here. "I fact," he continued icily, "I've been wondering when Godwin would send someone to take me back."

As she looked up, meeting his eyes, Mikage's expression was honestly worried, even shocked and deeply concerned. Though he hadn't said it, Jack clearly thought he'd be forced back, even if he had no desire to go. Clutching her hands together, Mikage stuttered, "A-atlus-sama, that's not it at all! I'm here alone, and I came just to tell you that the Director suggests you take this month off to recover!"

'Which would be Godwin's way of saying that he doesn't care what I do for now, since I'm useless to his plans anyway,' Jack thought sourly.

"I'm not going back," he stated firmly.

Mikage frowned. "What do you mean, Atlus-sama? Where will you be staying then?"

"Oh! You can stay here!" Rua exclaimed, waving his hand excitedly. Ruka and Johan sighed.

Looking worried and unhappy, Mikage held out the large bag she carried. "Your medicine is here," she stated quietly, "as well as some other things. If you need anything, Atlus-sama, please contact me immediately."

'Mikage… did she already know what I would do?' Jack wondered, accepting the bag.

"It seems like you are drawn together," she remarked, looking between the others. "I guess it is the will of the Dragon Star." Frowning a little, she added, "Though, you should be aware, Atlus-sama, that this is not the best place to reside if you wish time away from monitoring."

Johan sighed. "So we're being monitored after all," he remarked, seemingly resigned to this idea. "I'll have to tell Judai to be more careful."

"You're being monitored?" Jack repeated, frowning. "Why? …By the will of the Dragon Star and 'you', you mean…" Mikage looked away rather pointedly. This was probably one of those things she wasn't really supposed to mention to Jack. It seemed farfetched, but somehow, it suddenly made sense. "You're a Signer?" Jack asked Johan.

"And what is your connection to that?" Johan asked mildly, putting his hands on his hips.

"I am a Signer as well," Jack replied flatly, feeling a little odd saying it for the first time. He had never actually told anyone that. Godwin and all his people had known, Phoenix as well, and Jack didn't discuss this with anyone. He didn't have anyone to discuss it with.

Johan regarded him for a moment before smiling. "That makes sense," he admitted.

However, Mikage was giving him very unfriendly looks, bordering on a glare. "You are being deliberately misleading," she hissed.

"And you'd know, right?" Johan pointed out, his voice far more cheerful than Jack's earlier, but the words and implications very similar. "After that assassin, I suppose you know very well who the Signer is." Giving Jack a cheery smile, Johan admitted, "It's not me."

'Assassin?' Jack wondered automatically. 'Wait, it's not him? But someone else?' The only other people here were… the two children.

"He acted out of bounds!" Mikage protested. "Awakening the Singers' abilities is vital. You do not understand the full gravity of the situation."

Johan, who had struck Jack as the sort to remain cheerful even in the hardest of times, frowned. "The gravity of the situation…? Then, is this GENEX event another way of 'awakening the Signers' abilities'?"

"Then I'm going to enter," Ruka spoke up suddenly. Her brother, Johan and even Jack turned to look at her in surprise. The girl's expression was determined. "I want to enter, Johan-nii. I want to get stronger. Because… Ancient Fairy Dragon said so too. Evil beings are coming, and I want to be able to protect everyone."

'_She's_ the Signer?!' Jack thought, shocked and a little shaken. She wasn't any older than Rally, if even that.

"Luca…" Johan protested, looking torn.

"I'm entering, Johan-nii," the girl insisted, then turned to Mikage. "You can do that, right?"

The assistant jumped a little. "W-well yes, but if you're a minor, you'll need a parent's permission. A guardian will do fine too," she said, adding the last part as she remembered the reports on their situation.

Johan looked horribly torn. He wanted to tell Ruka no, that it would be too dangerous. On the other hand, he could understand why she wanted to enter. And honestly, he wanted her to get stronger too…

"Fine," he finally agreed, "but! If I tell you to forfeit a match before it starts, you'll do it, clear?"

Rua looked mystified and disgruntled, but Ruka nodded. She trusted Johan to be reasonable with that sort of executive power.

"I want to enter too," Rua put in. Seeing Johan's expression, he pointed out, "If Ruka can, then I can too. That's only fair."

Johan sighed, nodding.

Rua thrust his fist in the air and exclaimed, "Yes! This is the best day ever!"

-

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(a stray child)

_If you are lost in your way, deep in an awesome story_

_Don't be in doubt and stray, cling to your lonesome folly_

_Now, you're too close to the pain,_

_Let all the rain go further_

_Now, in a chorus of pain, taking you back to proper ways_

_It's so easy to find, if you could remind me_

_Now, you are lost in your way, deep in an awesome story,_

_Soon, I will find you again, kiss you for lonesome folly_

-

-

A/N: Merry Christmas! (To all those who celebrate, and Happy Holidays to everyone else!)

So yeah, Jack was skulking around Yusei's place, but then Rua went all fanboy on him and took him home too. Srsly, what are they doing, running a stray duelist shelter? Bah. Mikage is seriously growing on me. I'll need to do something with her "loyalty to Jack v. loyalty to Yliaster" subplot.

Finally, next chapter starts the GENEX arc! (I even got a new word document for it.) I want to wrap it up by chapter 30. So that's… 13-14 chapters. But when I tried to plan it out… Ouch. My brain.

At this juncture, I'd like to thank all my reviewers!

**Rashan-Rei** (8 reviews)

**animeraven259** (8 reviews)

**w nymph** (7 reviews)

**Torokia** (3 reviews)

**Richen** (2 reviews)

**ForevermoreNevermore **(2 reviews)

**Lucarly **(2 reviews)

**RinTori** (2 reviews)

**Dragon Star Queen** (1 review)

**digiwriter1392** (1 review)

**DMG44 **(1 review)

**Heleentje **(1 review)

I love you all! I'm especially touched by Rashan-Rei, animeraven159, and w nymph. I don't think I've ever personally reviewed any story more than three times. So to see 7-8 reviews from the same person… it really makes me feel like this story is worth following. Thanks so much!

(The neat freak in me feels sad that there's a big fat zero of reviews for chapter 2, but I guess it _was_ pretty weak.)

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	17. the tomorrow seen in dreams

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Cross Game

17: the tomorrow seen in dreams (_but you can't see the sun, ever in the darkness_)

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Aki's apartment was empty, dark and cold. The only movement was the faint flutter of the curtains as the wind blew in through the open balcony door. Scowling, Judai stalked back outside. He gripped the railing tightly and closed his eyes.

'Damn it, I'm too late,' he thought furiously. 'I should have talked to her before this, even if she didn't want to see me!'

"Judai?" Yubel inquired quietly, appearing next to him.

"She's probably preparing," he muttered, his eyebrows draw together angrily. "Divine always liked to have her do all those weird things to fine-tune her powers. That duel's set for early morning, so she'll probably be at it all night…"

"Are you still going to talk to her?" the spirit asked, trying to sounds neutral. In truth, Yubel strongly disapproved of Aki, if only on the grounds that the girl couldn't control her psychic powers. Any duel against her was dangerous… And Aki's personality also wasn't the most stable.

While Judai had shaken off (or at least learned to forget about) Aki's violent outburst when he first tried to leave the Arcadia Movement, Yubel remembered all too clearly the vicious intent behind the witch's attacks.

Judai sighed. "She'll be the most guarded right now. And I don't even know where to look. It'll probably be easier to corner her just before her duel." He trailed off uncertainly. "But that'll be cutting it close…"

"Then, you'll go back for now?" Yubel suggested.

"No. I don't want to miss my chance. I'll stay near the stadium." Judai looked uncomfortable as he added, "Johan's probably not too happy with me anyway."

-

-

Taking a deep breath, Aki tried to block out everything – the empty duelists' lounge of the stadium, the roaring of the crowd outside, her own turbulent feelings.

After a night of preparation and meditation, Divine had left her to take the final steps on her own. This was what she had been waiting for. This was the beginning of the path to their goals. She did not feel. She only existed – existed as a tool of Arcadia Movement, as Divine's instrument.

"Aki."

Her eyes snapped open, wide, as a voice suddenly spoke up behind her. Spinning around, Aki found herself facing Judai's serious, concerned face. 'Not now, I don't need this now,' she thought a little frantically.

But no. She was more than this. Taking another deep breath, she closed her eyes again, and let the feelings slip away. Meeting Judai's gaze, she was calm. Absolutely calm.

"Why are you here, Judai?" she asked tonelessly.

He frowned, the expression of concern and worry odd and foreign on his face. "What are you doing, Aki?" he asked instead of answering. "Is this really alright?"

"I am about to duel," Aki replied, purposely obtuse. "Surely you realize that."

"I know that, but is it really alright? You know what's going to happen!" Judai pressed. "Aki, you hate hurting people like this!"

Despite herself, Aki flinched. 'Yes, I'm… going to hurt someone again,' she thought faintly, her stomach roiling at the thought. She suddenly, desperately wished for her mask, her cloak. Could she really do this?

"Aki…" Judai looked pained, as if he could feel her all her uncertainty and sadness. He'd always understood her uncomfortably well, hadn't he? "I… I don't want you to get hurt. Just going out there, and dueling someone, you're getting hurt! I know… it hurts you too. So, please, don't make yourself suffer even more."

Reaching out, he grasped her right hand and squeezed it gently.

'I missed you,' she thought suddenly. Her first friend, her only friend. 'I really missed you, Judai.'

For a moment, Aki felt as if she was going to cry.

But then that moment disappeared as the door slid open and Divine stepped inside, his visible eye sweeping between them. Snatching her hand away, Aki stepped back. Even with that moment's weakness, she felt like she had betrayed Divine. Her savior, her guide.

(She didn't want to think. She didn't want to feel. She only needed to exist.)

But Divine forgave her, giving Aki a faint smile before turning to Judai, his expression growing cold. "I knew you'd come. You're very persistent… and very predictable," he said almost mockingly.

Judai scowled, his entire posture becoming defensive. "Divine! You…! Just what do you think you're doing to Aki?!" he demanded.

"Why, nothing she has not agreed to," Divine answered lightly. "You know our plans, as a former member, Yuuki-kun. This is the first step. Here, on this arena, we will make our ideals known to the world. And the messenger of our ideals is none other than Aki."

His sure, strong words washed away Aki's hesitation and uncertainty. Drawing herself up, she let his will flow into her, filling her with resolve.

"To create your 'utopia' of psychic duelists, right?" Judai said, sharply. "And what about Aki? Divine, do you even care what happens to her in all of this? You said you would help her, but all you've done is feed Aki your twisted ideals! Divine-!"

"Judai!" Aki bit out, cutting across his tirade. Her friend, her dear first precious friend, stopped short, staring at her with wide eyes. She wanted to smile and tell him it was alright. But all she could do was look at him coldly and say, "I will carry the ideals of the Arcadia Movement to the world."

'This is Divine's will. As long as Divine guides me, I will follow,' she thought. 'Judai, please, just let me be.'

But he looked so sad and hurt, it took all her will not to beg him to just come back, to just become part of Arcadia Movement again. Why did he leave? Why couldn't they have just stayed the way they had been back then?

Flinching, Judai tore his eyes away and shook his head. "If.. if that's how you truly feel… Aki, I won't…. I can't stop you. So, just," he turned back to her again, their eyes locking, "just take care of yourself. I… I'll always be on your side."

Both she and Divine watched expressionless as he turned away and left the room, though their thoughts were completely different.

"There are those that will seek to lead you astray," Divine said calmly, not accusing, not patronizing, calm as always, just like the first time they had met.

Aki closed her eyes, holding her head high. "My heart is guided by you, Divine," she answered. But it felt like her frozen heart had shattered a little.

"You are truly wise, Aki," he complimented, laying a hand on her shoulder, brushing her white shirt. "Now, it's time. Proudly show them your beautiful face and let them know of your existence."

The crowd roared as the platform bearing Aki rose onto the dueling field. "The mysterious beauty, IZAYOI AKI!!" the MC bellowed as spotlights focused on her, cutting across the artificial darkness cast on the stadium by the Solid Vision.

Across from her, Edo Phoenix smirked and bowed. Maybe, against such an opponent, she should have doubted her skills, but Divine had assured Aki of her victory. She refused to think further of his words. She would win. She would carry the Arcadia Movement's ideals. No matter what.

"Now, Duel Start!" the MC announced to thunderous applause.

"Ladies first," Phoenix called, the microphones they had been given projecting his voice clearly.

"Draw," Aki stated calmly, adding the card to her hand. "I summon Violet Witch (1100/1200). Then, I activate the Field Magic, Black Garden, from my hand. I place one card face down and end my turn."

"O-h!" the MC drew out. "A strong beginning from Izayoi! That field magic's effects are going to be a huge disadvantage for Phoenix! How will he respond?"

Her opponent only smirked. "My turn, draw. I use Fusion to combine Elemental Hero Burst Lady and Elemental Hero Avian from my hand to Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Phoenix Guy (2100/1200)."

A muscular black and red monster with green wings appeared on his side of the field, as the MC went wild. "There it is, ladies and gentlemen! Edo Phoenix's signature monster, Phoenix Enforcer!" Dark vines wrapped around the monster's form, as the MC added, "But now Black Garden's effect activates! When a monster is summoned its attack is halved, and a Rose Token is summoned to the other side of the field!"

True to his words, Phoenix Guy's attack dropped to 1050 and a giant rose appeared on Aki's field. Seemingly unperturbed, Phoenix pointed toward the Rose Token. "I'll attack with Phoenix Guy."

The backlash of the attack washed over Aki as her life points dropped to 3750, but she only closed her eyes for a moment, unflinching. "Rose Tokens cannot be destroyed by battle," she pointed out as her monster remained on the field.

Phoenix raised his eyebrows in a patronizing manner. "Alright then. I'll set one card face down and end my turn," he told her.

"Draw. I attack with Violet Witch," Aki declared.

"Activate Trap card, Magic Cylinder," Phoenix countered, two cylinders appearing and reflecting her monster's attack.

As the Violet Witch disintegrated, Aki held out her hand. "Violet Witch's monster effect activates. When it is destroyed, I can add a Plant monster from my deck to my hand," she declared, pulling out the desired card. "I choose Phoenixician Seed and summon it in defense mode."

Dark vines appeared as her Black Garden activated against her own monster, wrapping around the blue-tinted seed. "By Black Garden's effect, a Rose Token is summoned to your side of the field." A giant rose unfolded in front of Phoenix, and Aki pointed to her face down card. "I activate continuous Trap, Rose Flame," she continued. "When a Plant-type monster is summoned to your side of the field, you receive 500 points damage."

A dark violet flame shot out of the card that had moved upright, slamming into Phoenix and physically driving him back several steps. As the attack dispersed, he barely remained on his feet, panting.

"O-Oh! What's this?!" the MC panicked as the giant displays across the stadium zoomed in between Black Garden's vines, showing the burns that had appeared on Phoenix's formerly pristine grey suit. "What's happened here? It looks as if… Phoenix has taken physical damage! But that can't be!"

A hush had fallen over the stadium, but a tide of whispers quickly rose. But when he looked up, Phoenix's face showed no fear. Making a great show of dusting himself off, he met her eyes and smirked. "My, that's quite interesting," he drawled. "Is that all you've got?"

Aki's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly schooled her expression back to emotionless. "I release my Phoenixician Seed to Special Summon Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis (2200/0)," she moved on. The delicate monster appeared and was quickly wrapped by vines, its attack dropping to 1100. "Black Garden's effect activates. A Rose Token is summoned to your field," Aki continued, her eyes narrowing. "By Rose Flame's effect, you take 500 points damage."

As another burst of violet flame slammed into him, Phoenix stumbled back again, but only a step this time. "What's happening? What's happening?" the MC babbled, the images again showing the increasing damage to the pro. "How can this be possible?"

But Phoenix himself looked neither surprised nor afraid. Meeting Aki's gaze, he smirked again. "So, this is the power of a true psychic duelist?" he asked, making Aki's eyes widen.

'How does he know that name?' she wondered.

"I switch the Rose Token on my field to defense mode, place one card face down and end my turn," she bit out.

"Draw!" Phoenix declared, drawing himself up. Pointing to the two tokens in front of him, he said, "I tribute the two Rose Tokens to summon E-Hero Edgeman!"

Black Garden's effect activated again as vines wrapped around the golden monster, dropping its attack to 1300 and summoning another Rose Token to Aki's field.

"I attack the defense mode token with Edgeman! And due to his monster effect, you take the difference as damage," Phoenix said as the backlash of the attack again broke against Aki's unmoving form. "Then, I attack the other token with Phoenix Guy!"

"Now Izayoi and Phoenix are matched at 3000 Life Points!" the MC declared. "But what is Izayoi's mysterious power?"

Gesturing with one hand as if waving away the MC's worries, Phoenix said, "I switch both my monsters to defense position and end my turn."

"Draw," Aki stated flatly, narrowing her eyes. "I attack Phoenix Guy with Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis. Battle."

"Oho! But E-Hero Phoenix Guy's defense is 1200, and Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis has only 1100 attack points due to the effects of Black Garden!" the MC crowed. "What is Izayoi doing?"

Aki ignored the backlash as her monster was destroyed and she lost another 100 Life Points. "Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis's monster effect activates," she declared. When it is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, the opponent takes 800 points damage."

Bolts of gold light rained down on Phoenix as the effect activated, driving him to his knees. There was no way to miss or deny the damage now. His clothes were ripped and blood ran down one cheek in a thin stream.

"Ah! This is just unbelievable!" the MC wailed as Phoenix climbed to feet and ran the back of his hand across his cheek, wiping away the blood.

"I switch my Rose Token to defense mode and place one card face down," Aki said, ignoring the noise and the growing anger of the crowd. "During my End Phase, I Special Summon Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis from the Graveyard by excluding Phoenixician Seed from play."

Another Rose Token appeared on Phoenix's field, and Rose Flame activated again. This time, he couldn't keep his feet, and the flames threw him onto his back. It was a moment before he rose again, breathing heavily.

Aki closed her eyes for a moment. Pointing to her older face down card, she added, "Trap Card Over Dead Line activates. Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis gains 1000 attack points."

Opening her eyes again, she saw Phoenix still smirking, though the expression was wavering around the edges. "You're pretty tricky, aren't you? But it ends here! My turn," he declared, forcing himself to straighten. "Draw! First, I play Magic Card Cyclone to destroy Black Garden!"

A furious, though illusionary, wind swept across the dueling field, wiping away the cage of Black Garden and freeing the monsters from their restraints. As their attack points returned to normal, Phoenix pointed to his gold monster.

"I switch Edgeman to attack mode (2600) and attack your Rose Token!" he ordered.

As Aki's Life Points dropped to 1100, with Edgeman's piercing effect, the MC crowed, "Phoenix has begun his counter attack! Izayoi takes a devastating hit!"

"I switch my Rose Token to defense mode, set two cards face down and end my turn," Phoenix concluded. "Well, is that the limit of your power?" he taunted, making Aki frown faintly.

"Draw," Aki said automatically, still staring at her opponent. There was something wrong with him. There had to be. But it didn't matter. "I attack Edgeman with Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis," she declared.

With Over Dead Line's effect, Phoenixician cluster's attack was 3200, to Edgeman's 2600. Phoenix wavered dangerously as the backlash of his monster's destruction slammed into him.

Aki clenched her fist as her monster began to disappear. No matter how she steeled her heart, she couldn't… she couldn't…

For a moment, she couldn't breathe, couldn't force out a single word.

'Divine…'

"After conducting battle, Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis is destroyed," her voice enunciated clearly, coldly. It was almost separate from her, like hearing a stranger speak. "You take 800 points damage."

Blades of light cut into Phoenix, sending him to his hands and knees. He had only 300 Life Points left now. 'It'll be over soon,' some part of Aki whispered, sounding so tired and child-like.

"By excluding Violet Witch from play, I revive Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis, and end my turn," she concluded.

It was almost over.

Across from her, Phoenix climbed to his feet slowly. The MC fretted, suggesting concession, and the crowd screamed in fear and rage, but Aki ignored all of them.

Then, Phoenix began to laugh.

"My turn! Draw!" he declared, looking her in the eye. "It's not over yet! First, I play Magic Card Magic Stone Excavation! By discarding two cards, I add Fusion to my hand. Then, I summon E-Hero Sparkman and activate my face down card, Elemental Charge to regain 1000 Life Points for every E-Hero I control."

But even if his life rose back to 2300, his body didn't recover. He have bought himself time, but Phoenix didn't look like he could take another 2000 points of damage.

Even if his eyes were determined, he wavered on his feet. "Now, I fuse my E-Hero Phoenix Guy with E-Hero Sparkman to summon Elemental Hero Shining Phoenix Guy (2500/2100)!"

The monster of his field vanished in a flash of light, a stronger, green and white version taking its place.

"My Shining Phoenix Guy gains 300 attack points for every E-Hero in my Cemetery, raising his attack to 4000!" Phoenix boasted, smirking. "Now, battle!"

Her Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis was wiped away, dropping her Life Points to only 300. The crowd roared its approval, even as its effect dealt the same damage to Phoenix, who fell to his knees again.

He didn't have the strength to stand anymore, Aki noted clinically, as he opponent barely managed to kneel on one knee. But despite his injuries, he continued to smirk. "And without other Plant-types in your Cemetery, you can't revive it," he pointed out. "So, I'll end my turn."

"Draw." This had gone on too long, Aki thought. It was time now. "I summon Nightrose Knight and tune it to my two Rose Tokens…"

Her Black Garden, her defense against the world was gone. It was time to reveal all, time to attack.

"Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"

Gale force winds swept across the stadium. Someone screamed. As Black Rose Dragon settled in front of its duelist, the murmurs began, rising like a dark tide.

"That's the monster the Black Rose Witch uses!"

"That's her! That monstrous power!"

"A witch!"

"A witch!"

_"This is the first step. Here, on this arena, we will make our ideals known to the world. And the messenger of our ideals is none other than Aki."_

Divine's voice echoed in her mind, drowning out their screams and curses. They meant nothing. She felt nothing.

Nothing mattered. (Not even the damage she was about to do. Not even if he couldn't stand it.)

"Black Rose Dragon's monster effect," she said tonelessly, "by excluding Phoenixician Cluster Amaryllis from play, I reduce your monster's attack to zero. Rose Restriction."

Shining vines shot out, binding his monster, and Phoenix struggled to his feet with barely his force of will. Looking into his eyes (the eyes of a duelist, ready for anything, looking for only a single opening), Aki knew she couldn't hold back at all.

Pointing to her face down card, she bit out, "I activate Trap Card Curse of Rose." And as it opened, a flash of surprise passed across Phoenix's face. "When the attack points of a monster my opponent controls are changed, the difference between that monster's attack and original attack is inflict as damage to their Life Points."

He knew what that meant, she could see. But after an instance of shock… the expression on his face was… acceptance.

As the blast of rose petals slammed into Phoenix, he was thrown back bodily, crashing into the ground only a few feet away, skidding and rolling before finally coming to a stop, his body limp and still. Aki stared at his prone form sightlessly for a moment, still seeing that same expression.

It made no sense.

The crowd screamed.

-

-

(aura)  
_You are near to the dark, I will tell you about the sun_

_You are here, no escape, from my visions of the world_

_You will cry, all alone, but it does not mean a thing to me_

_Knowing the song, I will sing 'til the darkness comes to sleep_

_Come to me, I will tell you of the secret of the sun_

_It's in you, not in me, but it doesn't mean a thing to you_

_I hope you see the sun, someday in the darkness_

-

-

A/N: Merry Christmas. (If you're into that.) I got a DS and this kanji learning game, and it's making me so depressed because I suck. (I also realized after reading TV Tropes Wikia just what a trope-ridden story this is. And how much favoritism I have. And how OOC everyone is…)

So, um, I decided to cut several parts to make this a more dynamic chapter. Keep in mind Edo wasn't aiming to win anyway. Bah. I hate duels. Yu-gi-oh Wikia is godsent, with listings of people's cards and stuff. But sometimes, it's not really clear. I'm not sure if Magic Cylinder works like that or whether Curse of Rose would do 2500 or 4000 damage (not that it matters).

And now Edo gets to angst in a hospital. But not next chapter.

Next: 18 itsuka, sugisari. angst, angst, angst. And finally, more angst. And um, minor plot setup, kinda.

PS: I have to wonder why all these people who don't like guyxguy are reading this when I spend every other chapter's author's notes complaining about the lack of BL. Do you have _that_ little faith in my ability to eventually get everyone paired off and making out?

PPS: WHERE IS MY BL DAMMIT D: I'LL EVEN SETTLE FOR HET NOW

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	18. someday, it will pass

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18: someday, it will pass (_tell me when_)

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All of Neo Domino had watched the second Disclosure Duel as it was broadcast live.

Yusei saw it as he waited to register at the Public Security Maintenance Bureau's local branch. The line was long, and some duelists had been there overnight. At the start, the excitement was palpable. Edo Phoenix, internationally proclaimed duelist, ranked second only to the legends of old, dueling here in Neo Domino… It was any duelist's dream.

But that excitement had quickly turned to uncertainty and fear. Even before Black Rose Dragon appeared, whispers had raced up and down the queue. This was Daimon, and the street duelists knew that power and those cards well.

"Black Rose Witch," someone whispered, as the screens showed the menacing form of her signature monster. Yusei's arm throbbed.

And then the Duel was over. It felt as if the entire city had fallen silent, innumerable Solid Vision screens all showing Edo Phoenix's still, battered form.

Even the MC was stunned, his voice subdued and stuttering as he finally spoke, "T-that's the end of the duel… The winner is… the winner is Izayoi Aki… Get a med team down there, stat!"

Medical personnel swarmed around the pro, one looking up after a moment to give an affirmative gesture. So, Phoenix was still alive. As he was carried away, the camera shifted to Izayoi again, showing her locked, indifferent expression.

'Rejection and anger,' Yusei thought, remembering his short encounter with the Black Rose Witch. So this was her true face. It was just like another mask.

In the background, violent murmurs began to rise, but Izayoi remained expressionless, turning and walking away.

The MC cleared his throat. "W-well, that concludes the second Disclosure Duel, ladies and gentlemen," he declared nervously. "I-in an unbelievable upset, the newcomer Izayoi Aki has defeated the professional champion Edo Phoenix. Truly, anything can happen in these Dis-Duels!"

"That witch is competing?!" someone in the crowd demanded. "Death Duel is more like it! I'm out of here!"

"It's not worth my life!" someone else called, as duelists began to quickly leave the line, hurrying away as if staying another moment might mark them as the next to be "eliminated".

Standing in line behind Yusei, Himuro shot him a questioning look, but Yusei only shook his head. He wasn't going to run away. He wasn't.

'That kind of power… Is it really connected to her mark?' he wondered. 'Or, is it just a coincidence? But that sort of violence, together with…' In his mind, light engulfed the quiet mountainside, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Yusei closed his eyes, frowning deeply. 'No, I can't let that happen here.'

As the line dispersed, Yusei slowly made his way closer to the Bureau office. He and Himuro moved against the tide, the only ones going toward the building instead of away. There were still others waiting just outside, he saw as they approached, but they were a mere handful to the morning's crowd.

The Solid Vision screens flickered for a moment, switching away from the MC to an empty stage. After a moment of thought, Yusei recognized it as the place where Godwin often gave press conferences. Indeed, the MC soon spoke up again in a voice over.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in view of the shocking recent developments, the co-sponsors of the Dis-Duels, Ryo and Sho Marufuji will make a statement in a few minutes," he explained. "As we speak, they and the other members of their GENEX circuit are gathering to shed light on the future of this event…"

People began to assemble on the stage one by one, and Yusei faintly recognized them from when he had looked at the Disclosure Duel roster the night before. Before long, the two brothers also came on screen, the younger looking a little haggard and strained, the older steadily stoic.

A myriad of flashes momentarily hid their figures. As the light cleared and the reporters fell silent, the younger Marufuji took a deep breath and began.

"First, we would like to confirm that Edo Phoenix is currently being treated at Neo Domino Central Hospital. His condition is stable, and his injuries, though serious, are not life-threatening."

Another round of flashes. "Second, we would like to address the situation of anyone who is injured during a Disclosure Duel." Marufuji closed his eyes for a moment, his expression faintly pained. "This event follows standard world tournament procedures. All participants agree to the Full Responsibility Disclaimer… In other words, any injuries that occur during a Disclosure Duel cannot be blamed of the organizers, conductors or opponents."

Murmurs broke out amongst the unseen crowd. Honestly, these statements meant little to Yusei, who had never studied legal tournament guidelines or held any interest at all in the way things were conducted in "sanctioned" dueling. In a street duel, your injuries were your problem, and it wasn't as if anyone ever went to the cops anyway.

He glanced at Himuro for some clue of how to interpret this. The former professional shook his head. "Professional circuits and tournaments have a set of guidelines and protocols that are acknowledge across the world," he explained quietly. "One of the most notorious sections deals with the risk to duelists, especially since some people like a little extra danger in their sport – like electric shock every time you lose life points. The guidelines have a waiver duelists sign that basically says that you can't sue or press charges against the hosts or your opponent, no matter how badly you're hurt."

Yusei could see how people might find that problematic. A thought occurred to him. "Wasn't the older brother crippled in a duel?" he asked, remembering faintly once seeing something about that on a pirated broadcast. And, something similar had happened to Saiga's ex-partner.

Himuro nodded. "Yeah. It was a big scandal. Supposedly, he and his brother started their circuit to fight against that sort of thing, but the Bureau probably insisted on using world procedures."

That explained Marufuji's pained expression, as if he had swallowed a very bitter pill.

"As such, Miss Izayoi is not legally responsible for any damage her opponents may suffer during their duels," he continued. "My brother and I will cover any medical costs that may arise, and we urge all duelists to continue their participation…"

Off-screen, someone shouted, "That's a pretty empty consolation, if someone dies dueling that witch! Who'd be willing to risk their lives against her? Weren't you claiming to change the corruption of the dueling world?!"

Marufuji looked stricken by the comment, and his older brother's expression shifted into an angry stare, no doubt pinning the speaker. The younger organizer opened his mouth as if to protest, but quickly shut it again, finding no words. Ugly murmurs broke out among the unseen crowd.

Suddenly, a tall figure in a dark coat pushed its way onto the stage, storming to stand next to the brothers. It was Manjoume, the winner of the first Dis-Duel. He glared straight into the camera, dark eyes flashing.

"Anyone who is too afraid can feel free to forfeit!" he exclaimed. "Scared? Don't show up. You can surrender a duel at any time. Under world tournament rules, the opponent must accept the surrender regardless of conditions, and those rules will be strictly enforced."

"That is correct," the older Marufuji brother said quietly, a hush falling over the conference room as he spoke. "It is a duelist's choice to accept their opponents challenge, and in accepting, a duelist acknowledges the dangers they face. If that danger becomes unacceptable, any duelist is free to walk away."

"We strongly encourage duelists to consider their welfare when choosing to participate in a Disclosure Duel," the younger brother chimed in. "Nonetheless, this evening's round of Disclosure Duels will proceed on schedule. The match ups will be released in one hour."

The Solid Vision screen broke into a flurry of flashes and a wild clamor of questions and demands, but the brothers, their circuit's duelists and Manjoume filed off the stage. Godwin soon took their place, calmly reiterating his familiar platitudes.

Yusei looked away in disinterest.

"Well, they're an intense bunch," Himuro noted somewhat wryly. "But they're right. Duelists are crazy. Even risking danger, there'll still be plenty of participants." He smirked, baring teeth. "Actually, this'll weed out the weaklings and leave the true competitors."

Yusei said nothing as they stepped inside to register.

-

-

Judai had left his confrontation with Aki in a sort of daze.

'It's my fault,' he thought bleakly. 'She was right. I shouldn't have left. Aki needed me and I just left her to Divine and now he's filled her head with his twisted ideals…'

For a moment, he stopped and almost turned around, but what would he do?

'She won't listen to me no matter what I say. Even if I tried to make her listen… Even if we dueled..! I already tried that,' he thought, shaking his head with a grimace. 'It didn't help at all… Aki and I really are people who can't solve anything through dueling. All we did was hurt each other.'

_"Judai…"_ Yubel's voice whispered hesitantly to him, not quite knowing his thoughts, but knowing his feelings and his way of thinking.

"It's not because of you," Judai reassured the spirit. "If you hadn't tried to make us stop, I think I… would have lost control. I was so frustrated and so desperate.." He smiled grimly, mockingly. "I might not be as strong as Aki, but she still would've been hurt."

'But she's getting hurt anyway, in her heart,' he thought sadly. 'Divine is feeding her pain and rage. He knows that it only makes her powers grow.'

All around him, giant screens across the city played out the duel. People had stopped, staring up in growing fear, as Aki's powers were revealed and tore into her opponent.

Suddenly, he felt he had to get away from it. Spinning around, he ran.

Without thinking, he found himself back at the Tops building Johan and the twins lived in. He had been staying with them for less than a week, but it was still the most familiar place in the entire city. And practically the only one where he didn't feel constantly watched and subtly pressured.

To his surprise, Topaz Tiger was pacing in front of the entrance, his tail twitching in agitation, his fangs half-bared. Spotting Judai, the spirit growled faintly.

"Yo," Judai greeted somewhat uncertainly, raising one hand. That's right, he'd just left the twins in the middle of Daimon, even if Cobalt Eagle had been with them. He just couldn't do anything right, could he? How mad had Johan gotten?

Topaz Tiger regarded him for a moment. "Rua and Ruka brought home the King last night," he informed Judai tensely. "He's staying here for a while, and we're apparently under observation anyway."

"Oh," Judai said somewhat dumbly.

"If you don't want Security knowing where you are, you're better off not hanging around here too much," Topaz Tiger clarified. As Judai drooped a little, the spirit huffed and shook his head. "If you don't care, you're free to stay," he added.

"Oh," Judai repeated.

So what was he going to do? Theoretically, he shouldn't even be in the city, but he hadn't been deported yet. And honestly, Judai doubted that the all-knowing Director of Neo Domino was unaware of his presence and location. He might have been good at sneaking around, but he wasn't that good. Probably, Godwin just thought Judai wasn't important enough to bother with.

'And it seems like he's right,' Judai thought. 'It's not like I could do anything…'

"I'll take my chances," Judai decided, half to the spirit, half to himself. "But, um, is Johan mad at me?" he wondered.

Topaz Tiger shook his head, growling faintly again. "Even if he was annoyed yesterday, he's forgotten about it by now. And… he's more concerned about Phoenix." Seeing Judai's empty look, he added, "The Black Rose Witch beat him, badly."

"Oh," Judai said a third time. 'Johan knows Edo Phoenix?' he wondered privately.

The receptionist let him through without comment, and Judai soon found himself in front of a familiar apartment door. It wasn't locked, as always, and he let himself inside.

Rua, Ruka and their friend Tenpei were on the couch, sitting huddled together and watching a Solid Vision screen with worried faces. Hearing him come in, they broke off their quiet conversation and greeted him half-heartedly.

"Have you heard? That witch lady beat up Edo Phoenix real bad!" Rua exclaimed. Judai swallowed a grimace. "He's gonna be okay though."

Tenpei pushed his glasses up his nose, looking almost nauseous. "Are you sure you want to be participating in something like this, Rua?" he asked. "I mean, what if you have to face her?"

"Eh? Like Johan-nii would let me," Rua waved away his friend's concern with a determined expression. "He made me promise to forfeit if he said so after all."

Ruka gave Judai a shaky smile. "Johan-nii and Mr. Jack are outside," she told him quietly.

Nodding absently, Judai moved onto the patio. Even knowing he was there, it was a surprise to see the King's tall, white-clothed form standing beside Johan. The twins' guardian himself sat against the railing, his expression deeply troubled.

"Hey," Judai greeted, making both the other duelists look toward him.

Johan blinked in surprise for a moment before smiling. It looked almost real. "Ah! Judai! Jack, this is our friend, Judai Yuki. He stays here sometimes. Judai, this is Jack Atlus. Rua invited him to live here for the month," Johan introduced the two, gesturing almost energetically between them.

Jack and Judai eyed each other consideringly. However, both quickly lost interest and looked away again.

"So Aki Izayoi is the Black Rose Witch?" Johan asked rhetorically as Judai leaned on the railing next to him. "That's why you left last night."

Judai sighed. "Yeah. I wanted to talk to her but… she's really set on this…"

"You know her?" Jack asked flatly. "Just what is going on? Phoenix is connected to that power too." He scowled angrily.

"He said she's a 'psychic duelist,'" Johan noted, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Yeah, Aki is, and me too," Judai admitted. "I'm not nearly as strong, but I'm also a psychic duelist – a person who can make their duels manifest physically. We were part of the same group, Arcadia Movement. It's an organization of people with special abilities."

Jack looked like he wanted to protest somehow, but there was denying what he had seen, and experienced. "Then, is Phoenix part of that group too?" he demanded.

Looking at him in surprise, Judai asked, "What makes you think that? I don't think so, but I didn't know all the members even when I was part of the Movement, and it's been a few years."

A short mental debate showed across the King's face before he answered. "I didn't get injured testing out anything," he finally admitted quietly. "I dueled Phoenix, but an attack from his monster did this much damage."

"That's…" Johan began, his expression shocked, before shaking his head suddenly. "No, Edo doesn't have that kind of power. But, when I saw him, the deck he was carrying had a strange aura. We were planning to duel, but when he took out his deck, he suddenly changed his mind and left. I think… his cards might be imbued with psychic power."

Judai looked between the other two somewhat skeptically. "I've never heard of anything like that, but I suppose it's possible…"

"He used different monsters when we dueled," Jack remembered. "Against Izayoi, he had E-Heroes, but the ones he used against me were called Destiny Heroes."

Clenching his fists, Johan frowned. "Edo's manager, Saiou, can partially predict the future," he said. "I know… Saiou and his sister were mistreated because of their powers in the past."

Judai scowled. "They might be part of Arcadia Movement. Most members joined because they experienced rejection due to their powers."

"You think Phoenix went into this knowing about Izayoi's powers and planning to lose?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow doubtfully.

"Arcadia Movement is using this as a way to make their existence known to the world," Judai explained angrily. "Aki is their 'messenger'. It'd be just like Divine to hedge his bets and rig the first match. He wouldn't care if one of his people was hurt either, especially not someone who doesn't even have powers."

"Edo'll be alright," Johan insisted, shaking his head. "Saiou wouldn't let him do this otherwise…" But the unspoken problem was that Saiou let Phoenix do it at all.

The three of them fell silent for several moments, all lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Jack snorted. "Well, as tragic as this is, it's not any of my concern."

He seemed ready to walk off, white coat flaring dramatically, but Johan interrupted. "That's not exactly right," he pointed out. "Aki's a Signer like you and Luca."

"She's a Signer?" Jack demanded, spinning around.

"Ruka's a Signer?" Judai asked simultaneously.

Johan sighed.

Scowling, Jack shrugged. "That might matter to Godwin, but I don't care about any of that."

"All of you are connected – you, Yusei, Aki and Luca," Johan contradicted mildly. "You're all drawn together. There's no getting away from that."

Jack glared wordlessly before turning and stalking off. His coat flared as dramatically as Judai had expected. Johan sighed again and shook his head.

"Even putting fate aside, anyone who wants the power the Signers can unlock will need all five," he added quietly.

"I can see why you'd be worried," Judai admitted. "Ruka's just a kid."

"She's dueling today." Johan smiled crookedly. "Even though any participant can only duel once a day, and I know Luca wouldn't be dumb enough to try to face Aki, I'm still worried."

"It'll be okay!" Judai tried to cheer him up, putting on a reassuring grin.

Johan smiled in return. "It will," he agreed, with a certainty that surprised Judai. "For you and Aki too."

Judai stared at him mutely for a moment. "She wouldn't listen to me," he admitted turning away and hanging his head. "Even though I tried to stop her, she wouldn't listen to me."

"It's not really up to you what she does, I guess," Johan said quietly. "I can't make Luca and Lua stop either, in the end. I suppose all we can do is support them." He shot Judai a thoughtful look. "Are you going to give up?"

Give up? Give up on Aki?

_"That's what a bond is. That's what it means to be close to someone. Even if it's difficult, even if sometimes there are problems, you stay together and don't give up," Johan had said when Judai first came to stay with them. _

Judai smiled.

"Of course not," he declared. "Because Aki and I are friends. Our bond is much stronger than that!"

-

-

_(rebirthing)_

_I want to break out, I need a way out_

_I don't believe that it's got to be this way_

_The worst is the waiting, in this womb I'm suffocating_

_Feel your presence filling up my lungs with oxygen_

_I take you in, I've died_

_I wanna live my life, wanna give you everything  
Breathe for the first time now, I come alive somehow_

-

-

A/N: Aaaaaaaaaaaangst. I love it so.

Death Duels, hehe. I gotta say, the manga has made me much more favorable toward Manjoume. It really stays much truer to him as the competitive side of Kaiba. Like Sho and Ryo, he's more plot device than character in CG, but I still try to give him a sense of personality … or something. He'll be important later on too.

But I'm starting to get a bit worried. It really seems like everyone is heading for a breakdown. Aki's totally cracking because she's Aki and Divine's screwing with her, Judai's not helping while developing his own issues about not being there for her, Jack's having an identity crisis and there's more on the way, Yusei's getting seriously freaked out now about how _serious business_ this all is.

Hell, even Rua and Ruka are headed there (especially next chapter) with a serious case of "we suuuck" and "I can't protect him/her/them". And Johan happily joins them, with issues about being completely powerless due to various circumstances (like not being able/willing to enter the Dis-Duels and not being a Signer and stuff.)

(And it'll all culminate after the GENEX arc. Knowing my love of rehashing GX story points, you should realize how royally screwed he's gonna be when the Dark Signer stuff starts.)

Also, 50,000 words GET! Hehe. (50K of crud.) Well, we're halfway through the story, according to my kinda-vague outline.

-

-


	19. a wish crossing over

-

-

Cross Game

19: a wish crossing over (_communication_)

-

-

"O~h, too bad! But that's that! Winner, Bommer!" the MC declared, shaking his head. "It was a good duel though! Keep trying, Ruka-chan!"

The little girl in question drooped as her and her opponent's Duel Disks deactivated, and the massive form of Bommer's monster disappeared. The tall man regarded her expressionlessly for a moment before nodding slightly and walking off the field.

Hers had been one of two Dis-Duels ongoing simultaneously, in a series of match ups, and people were still reeling from the morning's stunning second Disclosure Duel, so the crowd of live spectators was small.

But many of them still cheered for her, offering a cacophony of encouragements. Ruka smiled faintly and waved before heading off the dueling field as well. Once in the tunnel leading to the waiting rooms, she let herself sniffle and rubbed her eyes furiously.

So what if she'd lost her Dis-Duel? It was a random match up and she ended up against someone much stronger. She'd tried her best!

…And it hadn't been enough.

"Ruuuukaaaaa!" a voice calling her name echoed down the tunnel. Squinting against her tears, she could make out the blurry forms of her brother and Johan headed her way. She smiled crookedly. They knew her too well.

"Ruka!" Rua yelled again as he broke into a run. Barely slowing down, he crashed into his sister, his arms wrapping around her in tight hug. "You were awesome! That guy's just a stupid jerk!"

Sniffling one last time, Ruka smiled gratefully at him. "Mm," she hummed.

"He's right. You did very well," Johan agreed, bending to pat her on the head. "That combo with Truesdale's Mischief was especially well done. That man, Bommer, is a very skilled duelist, and he has a lot of experience. Don't feel bad about not being able to beat him."

"Yeah!" Rua agreed. "You'll get lots better and kick his butt!" Although Ruka offered him another, slightly stronger smile, he could tell she was still upset. Thinking for a moment, Rua brightened. "I bet you're thirsty after that match!" he declared. "I'll get you a soda! How about a Fuzzy Mokey Mokey Pop?"

Two red spots appeared on Ruka's cheeks reflexively. She really, really liked that brand, but it was so childish, all pink and cutesy… "Um, I guess I'm a little thirsty," she muttered, wiggling embarrassedly.

Rua grinned and winked. "Then, Mokey Mokey Pop it is! I'll see you there!" Running ahead, back to the duelist lounge, he waved over his shoulder before disappearing around a corner.

Peeking up at Johan, Ruka could see him grinning cheerfully as well. The expression made him look even younger than usual, like he had when they first met. She blushed even more furiously and glanced away.

A light hand ruffled her hair as Johan chuckled. They began to walk, silently at first. Suddenly, Johan asked, "Luca, why did you want to enter the Disclosure Duels?"

His tone was casual, but Ruka tensed. "I… wanted to get stronger," she answered, then added defiantly, "You were in tournaments when you were my age."

"Well, yeah, but they were junior tournaments, against other kids," Johan pointed out. "I didn't win all that often either. It was really frustrating, actually."

Ruka looked up in surprise, finding it hard to imagine a Johan, no matter what age, who cared enough about winning to get angry over losing. Though Johan had never dueled much after he had met the twins, he had always taken his few losses philosophically, and even when she'd looked over his old records, it really seemed like victory had never been a goal…

Johan grinned a little sheepishly. 'Well, I was actually frustrated about the way my opponents dueled, and that those methods ended up working so well,' he admitted to himself. 'But that's beside the point.'

Instead, he said, "But then I always tried to remember that winning wasn't really the reason I entered those tournaments in the first place. So losing isn't that big a deal either. Don't worry. This isn't an elimination tournament, so you can duel again, even tomorrow!"

"Mm," Ruka nodded. "I'll get stronger."

"That's the spirit. If you want, we can go over your match when we get home," Johan offered as they approached the end of the corridor and the duelists' lounge.

Walking into the plain but pleasantly lit waiting room, the two of them stopped abruptly at the scene that greeted them. Rua was standing next to the vending machine, a cheery pink can clutched tightly in one fist. Standing across from him, Bommer towered over the boy as the two matched looks, Rua's hot glare to Bommer's more detached and cool frown.

"You take that back!" Rua demanded, pointing at the man angrily. "You've got no right to say that!"

Bommer's eyes narrowed slightly, though his face remained stoic. "What I said is only a simple truth," he countered evenly.

Rua snarled. "You're wrong! And I'll prove it! I challenge you to duel!"

"Lua!" Johan protested, swiftly striding over to the boy. But Rua only pinned him with a defiant glare.

"I can! I challenge him to a Dis-Duel tomorrow!" he repeated. "Are you going to make me forfeit, Johan-nii?"

It was clear from Johan's expression that he wanted to do just that, but his conscience wouldn't allow him to. After all, what reason did he have for making Rua give up his match? While Bommer's tactics were fairly merciless and the duelist himself was far out of Rua's league, that would describe many other participants in the event. Would Johan make Rua concede every other match too?

It wasn't as if the boy was in any real danger, except to his ego.

Sighing, Johan shook his head. "I don't think it's a good idea, but do as you will," he said. "You can put in an official challenge if that's what you really want."

Rua's determined expression didn't falter.

-

-

Jack watched silently as Rua laid out his cards on the living room table, his brow furrowed in thought.

"So you challenged this Bommer because he insulted you and your sister?" the King clarified. He had gotten the story from Johan, who had offered to help Rua prepare but had been waved off proudly. The twins' guardian was with Ruka now, going over her match instead.

"Yup," Rua acknowledged shortly, not even looking up.

"Even though he defeated your sister," Jack continued. 'Who is a better duelist than you,' he thought but did not say out loud.

"Yea," Rua agreed.

"And even though your chances of winning are almost nil," Jack said finally, raising an eyebrow.

Rua glared at the table. "It's not about that!" he protested. "I'm not just gonna let that jerk insult us and get away with it! I'm gonna make him acknowledge that me and Ruka have as much right to be in this tournament as everybody else!"

Huffing, he shifted several cards angrily, and Jack fell silent again in thought. In a duel, there was always a winner and a loser. To Jack, only the winner had been important. That was the way it was in Satellite – either you won and continued on, or you lost and were thrown aside like trash. (Except if the loser was a friend, or the winner was a friend, and then it was just a duel and a promise of a rematch.)

"And if you lose, what are you going to do?" Jack asked, more coldly than he had planned.

"I'm gonna go down fighting!" Rua exclaimed. He wanted to say, "There's no way I'll lose!" but that would be too ridiculous even for him. He'd lost to Yusei, and Ruka had lost to Bommer, and losing was just too real a possibility. "Like… like Edo Phoenix! Even though the witch lady beat him, he kept getting up and fought all the way! He didn't run away like all these other guys are doing!"

'And it landed him in the hospital with serious injuries,' Jack thought cynically, but he had lost too, to Yusei. 'And maybe he'd intended to lose all along,' he added, remembering what Yuki had said as well.

"Anyway, I'm not giving up without even trying!" Rua insisted.

He looked so earnest and determined, Jack couldn't bring himself to make some cutting remark about the futility of it. 'Everyone starts at the bottom,' he thought. 'He's just a kid, after all.'

Folding his long legs, Jack settled at one side of the coffee table and looked over the scattered cards. "If you're going to have even the slightest chance, you're going to have to change a few things…" he began.

-

-

"Lua! Slow down," Johan called, chuckling faintly. "Your match isn't for a while, you know!"

Rua knew that, of course, but he couldn't stand to wait at home any longer. In any case, as participants, he and Ruka had unlimited access to watch any Dis-Duels, and Johan had gotten an event pass out of the King's assistant as well.

Maybe watching someone else duel would steady his nerves, which despite Rua's bravado and preparation, were seriously starting to fray.

As he dragged Johan into the duelists' lounge, with Ruka trailing behind them, Rua finally let go of his guardian's hand and took a deep breath. 'I can do this,' he thought determinedly, clenching one fist. 'I show him! I will.'

The lounge was surprisingly busy, with duelists milling around and gathering in small groups in corners. They whispered agitatedly to each other, and Ruka drew closer to her brother as Johan shooed them over to an empty bench and headed toward the vending machines.

"Are you sure about this, Rua?" she asked quietly as they sat next each other.

He nodded decisively. "Of course I am! There's no way I'm backing down! You just watch me!"

Ruka looked unconvinced. "Is it because of me?" she asked, perceptive as always. "I… don't really mind losing. As long as I get stronger, it's okay…"

But even Rua didn't believe that. It was almost painfully obvious that her loss had shaken her confidence and depressed her, and his opponent's attitude hadn't helped a bit. Johan would have made losing okay, Rua knew, offering kind suggestions and congratulations. But Bommer had acted like Ruka's efforts didn't mean anything at all.

'He had no right to say that Ruka should drop out!' Rua thought furiously. 'How dare that jerk say it's pointless!'

Johan returned, juggling three cans of soda and handed two to the children. "For good luck," he explained, grinning as they sipped their drinks. As he opened his own can, a dark figure approached them, making the children look up in surprise.

"Andersen," the stranger – the first duelist of the Dis-Duels, Manjoume – greeted evenly, almost totally without emotion.

Johan blinked in surprise for a moment before smiling and standing to shake the other duelist's hand. "Hello! It's been a long time! I'm surprised you remember me," he said cheerfully.

Manjoume inclined his head faintly, his eyes passing over the twins and narrowing a little. "Are you participating?" he asked, turning back to Johan.

"Nah. I'm just watching Lua and Luca," Johan replied easily, nodding to the twins. "What about you? I think… your match today wasn't until later, right?"

For a moment, Manjoume regarded Johan expressionlessly, as if considering his answer. Rua and Ruka glanced between the two duelists a little suspiciously before exchanging questioning glances. It felt like they were missing something here.

"It got moved up," Manjoume finally replied with a faint scowl. "Izayoi's opponent canceled, so my match will start as soon as this last duel ends."

"Oh, I see," Johan nodded. "It's a Riding Duel, huh? And they can't have a ground match at the same time, so there's a hold up for everyone after you. That's why everyone else is just waiting around, right?"

Manjoume shrugged, clearly not more than mildly annoyed at the disruption. He was a professional duelist, so he was used to being "on call" all the time.

The Solid Vision screens around the lounge switched images suddenly, from the ongoing duel to an announcement of victory. Glancing at them, Manjoume turned to go, but at the last moment he paused.

"It's too bad you're not entering," he said almost casually. "I would've liked to have a proper duel with you."

Rua and Ruka exchanged another glance as he left, before turning to Johan. "You know him, Johan-nii?" Ruka asked.

"Oh, we dueled in a tournament final once," Johan replied cheerfully, though the twins frowned a little, recognizing his special 'misdirection' look. "And he helped me with something. I really am surprised he remembers me."

'So that finals duel wasn't proper?' Rua wondered as Ruka glanced in the direction Manjoume had gone with a faint frown. Only a few moments later, the MC appeared across the screens, announcing the next match – a Riding Duel between Manjoume and the Reaper Shira.

Well, at least, he wasn't nervous anymore.

-

-

"O~h, that's just too sad! Once again, the winner, Bommer!" the MC declared, shaking his head. "Despite challenging the man that beat his sister, Rua is unable to claim revenge! Seems the Dis-Duels' two youngest participants just can't get a break!"

Yusei frowned as he watched one of the screens in the stadium's duelist waiting room, which showed Rua collapse onto his knees. The winner, Bommer, watched the boy for a moment before approaching. His mouth moved, but the words were not broadcast, and Yusei had to wonder what he was saying to Rua. Whatever it was, the boy brightened a little, climbing to his feet and nodding determinedly.

The camera angle changed as Ruka ran up to her brother, giving him a quick hug and offering Bommer a slightly shaky smile. The tall man nodded to both of them and walked away as the MC crowed something about how sweet it was to see such a display of dueling spirit.

'Why did Bommer duel Ruka in the first place?' Yusei wondered, crossing his arms and turning away from the screen as he waited for the twins to return to the lounge. 'Bommer made it sound like his purpose in the tournament was to duel the Signers, and Ruka probably didn't challenge him specifically like Rua did…'

Well, it might just be one more thing to ask those kids about.

When the twins returned to the lounge, they were accompanied by their guardian and putting on happy faces despite their obvious depression. For a moment, Yusei wondered if maybe he should just wait, since this probably wasn't the best time. But he needed some answers.

"Rua, Ruka, Johan," he called, approaching the three. "I need to talk to you."

The twins shifted nervously, Ruka especially moving closer to the other two with apprehension in her eyes. But Johan only nodded calmly, saying, "Yeah, I think we should talk. Your match isn't scheduled for a bit, so let's head somewhere a bit more private."

The place they settled on was an isolated corner behind the stadium, close to a back door exit, but enough out of the way to avoid interruptions. Yusei decided to start with the simplest question.

"Ruka, how did you know Stardust was back in my deck two days ago?" he asked plainly, making the girl fidget.

Johan shot her a glance, but Ruka shook her head faintly. "I… well, I…" she tried to start before swallowing and taking a deep breath. "Some Duel Monster cards have spirits residing in them," she said instead. "Or, more correctly, there is a world in which spirits live, and Duel Monster cards connect duelists to that world."

'A world of Duel Monsters?' Yusei wondered, not even sure if he should be skeptical of that. It wasn't any crazier than ancient god spirits destroying villages, or a duelist making her cards come to life.

"I… can hear those Duel Monster spirits," Ruka continued, refusing to meet Yusei's eyes. "So I could hear that Stardust Dragon was in your deck, since you two have a really close connection…"

"A close connection?" Yusei repeated, his eyes narrowing in thought.

Johan had said something similar when Yusei first met him and the twins. _"I want to see your deck in action. It's obvious you have a close bond." "Your cards are right; you really are a very kind person."_

"You can communicate with them too?" he asked, turning to the other young man. Johan smiled and nodded.

"Johan-nii is much stronger than I am," Ruka added.

"I see," Yusei said slowly, turning the idea over in his mind. It seemed crazy, but then, so did many of the other things that had happened to him.

Ruka's eyes widened. "You believe us?" she asked.

Yusei nodded. 'Is Godwin interested in her abilities?' he wondered. Thinking over his encounters with the twins for a moment, Yusei asked, "What about Yuki? When you said you two weren't really alone, you meant that a spirit was with you, right? He wasn't surprised."

"Judai can see spirits too," Johan replied now. "I'm surprised you can't, given how closely linked you are to your dragon. But that might be because you're a Signer…"

Yusei's eyes widened. "You know about that?" he demanded.

"I'm a Signer too, Yusei," Ruka admitted quietly.

The D-Wheeler stared at her in shock, his mind trying to make sense of the idea. He'd assumed all the Signers were adults, like him and Jack and Izayoi Aki. Clearly, he'd been wrong. That explained why Bommer had been set up to duel her, though it seemed not to have produced results.

Johan pulled him out of his thoughts, saying, "That's actually another thing we need to discuss. But I don't think this is the right place to do it."

"Come over to our place after your match?" Rua offered.

Yusei nodded mutely.

-

-

(doobee doowap communication)

It will surely resound

You sing from my heart for everyone  
The secret password  
Can you hear me? Open your heart  
Overflowing Music  
Play this song for everyone

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A/N: You'd think I'd write more during holidays, but you'd be wrong. This chapter took the longest~

It doesn't help that I'm trying to write statements to scholarships, and I joined the Janime forums. Some of the things people write there are hilarious, especially in retrospect. And my boyfriend's coming to visit for the week, so I'm not gonna have time for you guys~ I hope I can find my inspiration again after he leaves.

This is a slow boring chapter, but hey, you guys should be used to that. It's just has a bunch of chronological scenes covering the afternoon after last chapter's final scene (day two of Dis-Duels), and moving into the next day (day three out of thirty).

Next: become a shooting star... maybe

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	20. becomes a shooting star

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Cross Game

20: become a shooting star (_a flash of fire, and then it's gone_)

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The elevator chimed and stopped, and Yusei slowly guided his D-Wheel onto the landing. Although the girl in the lobby had been less than pleased with him bringing it inside, she had relented after a particularly cold look and Johan's reassurance over the intercom. He hadn't been willing to leave it outside, whether for thieves or Security.

Carefully balancing the D-Wheel with one hand, Yusei knocked and waited. A high, excited voice sounded from inside, and the door burst open a moment later to reveal Rua's grinning face.

"You're here!" the boy exclaimed. "We saw your match! You were _awesome_! Come in!"

He looked like he wanted to drag Yusei inside, but the young man carefully grasped his D-Wheel with both hands, and Rua had to settle for dancing around him excitedly.

Ruka greeted them both in the entry hall and offered Yusei a tentative but adorable smile. The last resident of the flat appeared a moment later, beaming.

"There's some food in the kitchen. Make yourself at home!" Johan said brightly, taking Yusei's D-Wheel and disappearing deeper into the apartment, probably to put it in the same place as before. Rua grasped Yusei's hand and pulled him through the living room.

"Wait 'til you see who's here! It's a total surprise!" the boy exclaimed, grinning over his shoulder. Even Ruka's smile was conspiratory and a little smug.

It _was_ a surprise. A complete and utter _shock_.

Yusei stopped in his tracks, making Rua momentarily overbalance, and stared. Across the room, Jack met his eyes and stared as well. He might have felt vindicated that Jack looked just as utterly thrown, but frankly, Yusei couldn't quite work up anything except simple _shock_.

"Yusei! The King is staying with us!" Rua exclaimed, blessedly oblivious to tension that quickly began to build as the _shock_ wore off. "And this is Yusei!"

"I know," Jack said, still a little dazed, but quickly regaining his usual confidence and bravado. "We've… met."

As he looked over his old friend's white-clad form, Yusei's eyes lingered on the cast and sling, an unwanted tinge of worry passing through him. "What happened to your arm?" he asked, the words slipping out before he could stop himself.

Jack's expression shifted uncertainly for a moment before he said slowly, "It's a long story."

"You gave back Stardust," Yusei stated, letting the question and his worry go.

"You won it back," Jack replied, some emotion tightening his voice.

He turned away and refused to meet Yusei's questioning stare. Yusei frowned. "We were interrupted."

"You would have won."

"That's not-"

"That's enough for me," Jack bit back, finally turning to pin Yusei with a glare.

The twins exchanged a glance. "Um…" Ruka began, but quickly wilted as the two duelists turned to regard her more severely than she deserved.

Focused on the unfolding drama, all four of them utterly failed to notice the arrival of someone new. "Eh… Is this a bad time?" The unexpected question made them spin around, and Judai waved a little hesitantly, grinning at their startled expression.

"Hey!" Rua exclaimed cheerfully. "Now we're just waiting for Johan-nii."

The person in question chose this moment to reappear, saying, "I'm here, I'm here!"

Judai crossed his arms, trying and mostly failing to put on a serious expression. "About that. Cobalt Eagle just said you wanted me to show up… What's this about?"

"Let's all have a seat," Johan suggested.

They settled around the dining table, carefully arranging themselves so that either Rua, Ruka or Johan kept the other three apart from each other. Yusei shot Jack a quick look over Rua's head, but on his other side, Ruka patted him on the arm and smiled when he turned to her. Across from him, Judai looked mildly perplexed. Johan offered him a plate of some strange food.

"Alright, what is this about?" Jack demanded, having more or less recovered his composure.

"Well," Judai began a little thickly, nibbling on a piece of pastry, "it's obviously something Signer."

Jack shot him a glare, making Judai laugh nervously. Ignoring the by-play, Johan nodded. "That's right. I don't think Aki would be willing to talk to us, but that still means that three of the Signers are here. It would be in everyone's best interests to try to figure out just what is going on…"

"There is nothing to _figure out_," Jack protested, frowning. "I told you before, I don't care. It doesn't concern me." Yusei's eyes narrowed in growing agitation, and Johan opened his mouth to disagree, but Jack gestured sharply. "Don't try to tell me that nonsense about fate and being bound together. I make my own destiny!"

Swallowing the last of his snack, Judai licked one finger and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm all for that too. But Johan's right. All five Signers are needed to make that power of yours work, so if anyone's going after one of you, they'll be going after all of you. And that includes you too."

"I'll take my chances," Jack snarled, standing abruptly.

Yusei shot him a cold look. "Then go," he bit out. It would be too much to expect Jack to stay or help. He'd learned that the hard way. Godwin could give Jack anything he wanted, and all Jack had to do was play along, turn a blind eye. And Jack had done more than that to get where he was.

And if Jack wasn't going to help, Yusei wasn't willing to deal with him, not with so many other problems.

But, for some reason, Jack looked almost… not hurt, not betrayed, but oddly blindsided, as if that had been the last thing he'd expected.

"What? But…" Rua protested, looking between them. On Yusei's other side, Ruka seemed to shrink in her chair.

Johan shot Yusei a momentary look, but instead spoke to Jack. "I know you're willing to do that, but you're not the only one in danger. It seems like those after the power of the Signers will do anything to get it."

"You don't even know who's after it," Jack pointed, forcing himself to turn away from Yusei.

"Arcadia Movement," Judai pointed out quickly, pushing away the plate of snacks, his expression turning serious. "Yeah, right now Divine's moving forward their regular agenda by having Aki duel, but he knows about the Signers. He knows about you. And he hates Godwin and his Bureau. He's definitely got some plan."

Yusei was the only one to hear this for the first time and his expression darkened. Just how many people were out to control them?

"If they think they can oppose the Director, they're only fooling themselves," Jack countered, though there was an undertone of almost bitterness in his voice.

His eyes narrowing, Yusei considered Jack for a moment. "But Godwin is allowing the Dis-Duels to continued," he said quietly.

"Godwin's goal is to awaken the Signers' abilities," Johan said. "That woman said so, and it really seems to be the case. She said that the GENEX event is part of that too, just like the assassins from before."

"And is there something wrong with that?" Jack asked skeptically.

Jumping to his feet, Yusei glared. "You don't know what he's capable of!" he declared hotly. 'You don't know what he's already done!' his mind added. Godwin had driven Yusei to be tortured. Godwin had attacked Ruka and Aki. Godwin had taken Jack. Godwin had destroyed _an entire village_.

"Stop it!" Johan demanded, rising to his feet as well. Neither Yusei nor Jack acknowledged him, continuing to glare at each other.

Looking between them nervously, Rua suddenly stood on his chair and held his arms out as if to separate them. "Don't fight!" he almost begged. "You guys shouldn't fight!"

To Yusei's other side, Ruka nodded and tentatively laid a hand on Yusei's jacket. "Please don't," she added as well. "If Mr. Jack doesn't want to talk about this, he shouldn't have to. I'll be okay, you know."

Yusei and Jack both flinched. Yusei hadn't forgotten about the girl, but there were so many other problems that her situation had slipped his mind. Unlike Jack or Aki, he couldn't expect her to just face head on some insane ancient destiny and all the people trying to turn it to their will.

Jack had simply forgotten her as well. As Johan had said, he might be willing to take his chances, but would he say the same for a little girl?

Latching on to the King's coat, Rua pulled him back into his chair. With a sigh, Johan sat down as well, and finally Yusei followed.

Judai looked between them with interest. "So, just how do you two know each other anyway?" he asked. Johan shot him a look that clearly said the question was entirely too personal, and Jack glared, but Yusei only closed his eyes for a moment.

"Wow, that's right! You dueled, for real?" Rua exclaimed, his eyes darting between them. "And… er.. wait…"

He trailed off, remembering what Jack had also said – Yusei would have won.

Jack took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I… was born in Satellite," he finally admitted quietly. But there were no gasps around the table, only expressions of interest and acceptance. "Yusei and I were comrades until two years ago, Godwin gave me the chance to come here."

This was the part Yusei had been wondering about for so long, and without thinking, he leaned forward, trying to catch his old friend's eye. But Jack steadily kept his gaze on the table, his expression fixed.

"The price of passage was two cards – Red Demon's Dragon and Stardust Dragon."

That was all Jack was willing to admit. Yusei could add the rest – how Stardust had been Yusei's (though Ruka and Johan at least already knew), how Jack had stolen not only Stardust, but also the D-Wheel Yusei had worked so diligently on. And Jack wouldn't deny it, Yusei realized. But what would be the point of that?

Finally, Johan asked quietly, "Do you supposed Godwin knew that Stardust is bound to Yusei?" Everyone turned toward him, some more knowing than others. Johan folded his arms, frowning thoughtfully. "We don't really know much about the Signers, but it seems like each one is tied to a Dragon. There is a strong resonance between the duelist and the Dragon, and with the marks as well. Aki to Black Rose, Ruka to Ancient Fairy, Jack to Red Demon's and Yusei to Stardust…"

Ruka and Judai were nodding in understanding, and Yusei had to agree as well. When the witch summoned her dragon, his mark pulsed, though it did not generally react to her power. And… hadn't Yusei always thought he and Stardust were tied together by fate?

"So, did the Director know that Stardust was Yusei's? …Or, in other words, that he's a Signer," Johan repeated.

Jack stared at him for a moment. He had clearly never looked at it that way, and Yusei hadn't either. "No," the King finally said, though his answer was firm. "Godwin was very surprised when I said a Dragon mark had appeared on Yusei's arm."

"Then, he probably wanted Stardust to draw out the Signer tied to it," Johan decided.

"And it worked too," Judai pointed out. Jerking his thumb toward Yusei, he added, "He came, after all."

So then, maybe it hadn't just been cruelty that made Godwin demanded Jack bring Yusei's most important card. But that didn't change Jack's choice, which was really the one that mattered more to Yusei, in the end.

Suddenly, Johan frowned and ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe we've got it wrong though," he wondered. "Maybe the Dragons choose the Signers… I mean, we don't know that the Signers are born with their abilities or anything."

'Stardust chose me?' Yusei thought. '…But only after I came back for it.'

Jack huffed. "It doesn't matter either way," he pointed out. "We're Signers _now_."

"Oh, so you admit there's a problem?" Judai asked, sounding completely genuinely curious.

As Jack snarled, Johan chuckled, though he seemed like he really wanted to sigh. Yusei ignored them, his attention caught on Ruka. The little girl was lost in thought, and very unpleasant thought, it seemed, her hands clenched in lap, her brown furrowed. As she screwed her eyes shut and began to tremble a little, Yusei laid a hand lightly on her shoulder.

He smiled when she looked up, and Ruka returned the expression a little shakily.

"Um…" Rua began, raising his hand as if in a classroom. "Sorry, but just what is a Signer anyway? I mean, I know there's five of you guys and you can, uh, do something together, but…"

"The Signers each bear a part of the Crimson Dragon, and together they can summon it and control its power," Yusei recited. He had heard it from both Yanagi and Bommer, after all.

"O-oh," Rua drew out, before tilting his head to one side thoughtfully. "For what? I mean, why would you summon it?"

An almost comical silence fell over the table. Honestly, they had no idea. Bommer had said that the Signers were meant to be part of a "struggle" but against who or what had been left out.

"To fight invaders?" Judai suggested finally. "Or maybe they just thought it'd be cool…"

"We don't know," Johan corrected quickly.

Rua seemed dissatisfied for a moment, but he brightened quickly. "So have you guys ever done it? Summon the Crimson Dragon, I mean!"

Yusei swallowed heavily, thinking of the grainy but unmistakable slender red form in Bommer's video. Jack answered after a moment, saying shortly, "Yes. When we dueled. The Crimson Dragon appeared."

"That's so cool!" Rua exclaimed. He didn't mean anything by it, but Yusei gave a rather harsh look.

"It's dangerous," he said flatly. "It was out of control."

Catching on to his uneasiness, Jack eyed Yusei thoughtfully. "It was only a blackout," he pointed out.

"Not on the field," Yusei protested. "We both lost control-"

"The Crimson Dragon caused that blackout?" Johan asked, cutting off Yusei, not like his usual easy-going and mostly polite self.

Jack seemed surprised as well, but he finally nodded. The twins exchanged looks around Yusei, and even Judai looked perplexed. "Does that mean something?" he asked.

"Yes… well, no…" Johan muttered distractedly. "It might… Well, anyway, we know that Director Godwin is trying to awaken the Signers' abilities. Any ideas why?"

Shaking his head, Yusei decided to just let the man's strange behavior go for now. "He's the Star Guardian and head of an organization… Supposedly, it's their duty to help the Signers, but he's been following his own agenda too.

"Yliaster," Jack added. "Mikage is part of it too."

Johan sighed a little. "I see. I guess there isn't really a lot we can do about that, since everyone's already entered the Disclosure Duels. So maybe it would be better to try to figure out the Arcadia Movement's plans." He added slowly, "I'm going to go visit Edo and maybe his manager Saiou too. I don't know if they'll tell me anything though, even if they're really in on this whole thing."

"I'll try to talk to Aki again, but I haven't been able to get her alone yet," Judai said. "Maybe I'll… Hm." Like Johan before, he trailed off thoughtfully, making Yusei eye them with mild annoyance. Honestly. A moment later, Judai beamed around the table and stood up. "Well, anyway, I'm gonna get going. See you later!"

With a cheery wave, he left the group, bringing their meeting to an informal end. Johan stood as well, taking the empty plate. "You better get to bed, Luca," he added before disappearing into the kitchen.

Ruka nodded and slid off her chair. "I'm dueling tomorrow," she told Yusei with a faint smile. "So, goodnight."

For a few moments, the remaining three males were silent. Rua, blessedly ignorant of the quickly returning tension between the duelists on either side of him, finally declared, "It's cool that you guys are friends! I mean, you're both the _best_ duelists I ever met!"

Jack shot Yusei a quick look, almost… nervous? That couldn't be right… And were they friends still? Jack wasn't denying it, but then, it wasn't really his place to do either.

"Are you going to duel again? Can I watch?" Rua asked, passing over the awkward moment.

"Of course," Yusei said firmly. "I could never pass up the chance to face a duelist like Jack."

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A/N: Sorry for taking so long! I was, er… well, anyway.

Yeah, this chapter is sort of a let down. Because there's so many other people around, Jack and Yusei can't really have a good confrontation. Every time they try, Rua or Ruka or someone interferes. Anyway, that part got so ridiculously long that I just ended it. And… Since I'm lazy, I decided to do the Yusei v Bommer (mention of a) duel later. Like, much later.

Big thanks to the reviewers from last chapter: **Lucarly**, **ForevermoreNevermore** and **XxJohanxJudaixX**. Also, a very, very, very extraordinary big thanks to **rowen5255**, who left so many reviews, including the _only_ review for chapter 2… (That "0" in the review list was bothering me~)

They (ah, gender ambiguity) pointed out some things.

1) The outfit Judai goes around in is the brown jacket and black shirt he wore for a bit in the end of Season 4, when he was packing to go, before mysteriously switching back to his Osiris red. He's trying to be a bit inconspicuous.

2) Apparently I screwed up a few spell cards (mostly in terms of speed and type) in the Johan v Judai duel. But, eh, like the show was ever consistent. Like the abridged series says, no one actually follows the rules (or even knows them). I'm here for the yaoi anyway.

3) Yup, my fears for Magic Cylinder were realized. It's direct Life Point damage. Oh, well, screw it.

Yeah, I am awesome. (Also, my plans have gotten a bit derailed. GENEX event is now until chapter 31.)

Next: forgetting even the faint flicker (aka Jack angst)

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